A novel third-party mediation model based on minimum weight manipulation for addressing Sino-Kazakh transboundary water resource disputes

Conflicts often involve multiple stakeholders, making it challenging to design mediation schemes that effectively balance diverse interests. A novel third-party mediation model based on the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) is proposed in this paper to assist third parties in identifying the mediation scheme with the minimum cost. Mediation costs are quantified by analyzing the concessions made by each party during the mediation process, as reflected by changes in option weights. Additionally, a mixed-integer programming model is developed, utilizing the four fundamental stability concepts as primary constraints. To solve the model efficiently, the dung beetle optimization (DBO) algorithm is used for its strong global search capability, robustness, and resistance to premature convergence. Finally, the model is applied to the Sino-Kazakh transboundary water dispute, examining mediation schemes under varying weight manipulation thresholds and validating the model's efficacy.