secret talks
Behind-closed-doors discussions
Secret talks are private negotiations conducted away from public view, typically between governments, organizations, or parties in conflict.
The secrecy allows participants to explore compromises without political pressure or media scrutiny: Secret talks between the two countries had been underway for months before the treaty was announced.
Also called back-channel negotiations.
- backroomPrivate space for dealings
- smoke-filled roomSecret political negotiation venue
- whisperSpeech without full voice
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- negotiationsFormal discussion seeking agreement
hushed · hush hush · covert · under the table · diplomacy · quiet diplomacy · closed doors · confidential · need to know · under wraps · summit · treaty · intermediary · discreet · rendezvous · shadowy · off-the-record · private meeting
- Cold War Diplomacydétente, detente, arms control, summits, START
- US-Irannuclear deal, hostage crisis, Iran-Contra, diplomatic ties, Tehran
- war diplomacytruce, peace treaty, peace deal, armistice, ceasefire
- back channelsback doors, intermediaries, go-betweens, middlemen, proxies
secret talkspress conference
Organized media Q&A
public announcement · public hearings · public forum · public hearing · town hall meeting
secret, secrets, secrecy, secretive, secretively, secretiveness, secretary, secretarial, secretariat