As a long time Diplomacy player I support this effort!
The rules can be found here:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Diplomacy/Rules
Executive summary:
The map is a map of Europe with 7 nations in 1900 split up in provinces of various sizes. There are 34 support centres (SCs) in total and the goal is to own 18 of them to get the majority. The game is played in years starting with 1901. Each year has 4 seasons. Spring and Fall are for movement/attacks, Summer is for retreats and Winter for retreats/builds/disbands. An SC is owned by the nation that was last to occupy it in winter. A nation can have as many units as it has SCs - again counting in Winter.
Units can be fleets (F) or armies (A) and can both move one field. Fleets can also transport (convoy) armies. Each province can contain exactly one unit at a time. Provinces with a coast can hold both fleets and armies but also only one at a time. Units can give other units support for holding or attacking if they are neighbouring the other unit or its target (unless they are attacked themselves). Loosing units are forced to retreat and only destroyed if they have no place to retreat to (seldom). Attack resolution is by majority (counting in supports). With even forces nothing happens (bounce).
Since everyone has even forces at the start it is all about getting support from others. The negotiations are the fun part of the game.
The rules are pretty neat because they are simple. The game was developed in the 60' and hasn't changed much since then.
Adaptation to CM would revolve mostly around combat resolution. For Dip all units have the same combat force. The only modifier is the amount of support you get. That has to be factored into the CM battles.
Then there is fleets which CM obviously doesn't have. F vs F has to be resolved with Dip rules. All other cases can be handled by giving ship artillery to a side.
Dip games take a looooong time and not everyone will have battles every turn. So the battles should be short and sharp. Same goes for negotiation phases. The Dip community has very strict rules for being late with ones turns. A bit of discipline is necessary as quite a lot of games have been bogged and died because of vanishing players.
IMHO this is very much doable and would be a ton of fun. Map and rules are proven over time. Battle resolution with CM would adds a nice touch of chance to it (Dip has no dice). I hope this will fly!
