Peace – The condition of peace can exist at varying levels. In most cases it is more than a mere absence of violence between contending parties. Peace can also be measured in terms of cooperation and collaboration. The following is a categorization of its most prominent forms:
Cold Peace – A relationship characterized by formal agreements between conflicting parties and the maintenance of diplomatic relations between them whereby the underlying issues of conflict are in the process of being moderated or reduced but still far from being completely resolved. In this situation, armed conflict is unlikely but possible if changes in the international system occur or parties reach an impasse. It is probable that the parties have developed contingency plans for war and have prepared for such a possibility. An example of Cold Peace would be the relations between Israel and Egypt.
Normal Peace – This is the situation we generally think of when we consider relations among states in general. Here, the likelihood of war is considerably lower than that of a Cold Peace. Most, if not all, substantive issues have been resolved and the sovereignty of each party is recognized. Emphasis is on the shared management of the strategic-political environment.
Warm Peace – Under the condition of Warm Peace, relations among ideologically aligned parties are focused on cooperation and the working towards common objectives through shared information and coordinated activates. While conflict is still possible, there is a very low likelihood it would escalate into armed conflict. Examples include US relations with the United Kingdom and Israel.
High-Level Peace -A situation characterized by a shared expectation that the parties will not resort to violence in the foreseeable future under and circumstance; including regime change or a change in the structural (international) setting. There exist no contingency planning and no preparations for war. Institutionalized non-violent procedures for dealing with and resolving conflicts are widely accepted. Parties agree on common social problems and work cooperatively through shared institutions and widespread cultural exchanges to address these. Cooperation is at such a high degree that there may exist exceptional shared military, economic, and intelligence coordination – up to the point just short of shared sovereignty. Examples include relations among Scandinavian countries or US-Canadian relations.