*** SÉBASTIEN BOUSSOIS, CHRISTOPHE WASINSKI (Editors): Armement et désarmement nucléaires. Perspectives euro-atlantiques. Presses Interuniversitaires Européennes / Peter Lang (1 av. Maurice, B-1050 Brussels. Tel: (41-32) 3761717 - fax: 3761727 - Email: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). "Regards sur l'International" series, No. 11. 2011, 199 pp. €31.50. ISBN 978-90-5201-698-6.
This book is the extension of a colloquy jointly organised by the Université libre de Bruxelles and the University of Montréal in April 2010. It attempts to evaluate the recently acquired importance of nuclear weapons and the possibility of reducing and eradicating nuclear arms, which is called for by increasing numbers of people, on the international agenda. Contributions are mainly in French, with a number written in English, by researchers, political leaders and international civil servants, following the lines of Hans Blix. The latter was director general of the Vienna based International Atomic Energy Agency for many years. He then became executive president of the UN Commission carrying out inspections in the Iraq of Saddam Hussein. This book clearly shows that this issue is extremely complex and that no certain predictions can be made with regard to it in the short or medium term.
The first part of the book tackles the number of dynamic relationships on the global scene that interact with each other and the Euro-Atlantic nuclear order. Professor David Haglund (Queen's University) examines the main features of the International strategic landscape, whilst Michel Fortmann (University of Montréal) dissects president Obama's agenda on the nuclear issue. Nina K. Rozhanovskaya (Tomsk State University) analyses Russian perceptions of the nuclear military question. Other contributions focus on nuclear deterrence and developments in this connection (Venance Journé, from the National Scientific Research Centre) and the famous nuclear free zones (Luc Mampaey, from the Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security). The second part of the book focuses on the NATO alliance's position on nuclear weapons. Christophe Wasinski (Facultés universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix de Namur and the Université libre de Bruxelles) subsequently examines how strategic culture and standardised nuclear weapons in the Euro-Atlantic area. Guy Roberts, Deputy Secretary General and responsible for nuclear weapons at NATO follows on from this by presenting NATO policy and concepts on nuclear weapons. This contribution is usefully completed by a joint analysis provided by Élise de Garie ( University of Montréal) and Michel Fortmann who look at the permanent tugs of war that persist within NATO between those calling for greater rearmament and those calling for more disarmament. Philippe Mahoux provides also looks at this question, whilst taking into consideration the work carried out by the Belgian senate in favour of nuclear disarmament.
Is quite obvious that the dividing line between NATO and European Union in these matters is more than porous that may apparently be perceived and the third part of this book examines the position taken by the EU 27 “Club” with regard to nuclear weapons. This begins with an analysis by André Dumoulin, from the Royal Military School of Belgium on French nuclear policy and the European Common Security and Defence Policy. He points out that, “it is increasingly difficult to imagine an independent nuclear management policy” overseen by Paris that would reject any kind of European approval or minimum consultation, “even if the nuclear issue will not completely be removed from the horizon in a foreseeable future from national defence prerogatives”. Isabelle Durant, vice president of the European Parliament provides an account of the struggle waged by the Greens to obtain disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. She is delighted by the fact that this “cultural contamination” continues to gain ground. Frédéric Mérand ( University of Montréal and Guido Carli from the University of Rome) and Grégoire Mallard (North-Western University of Evanston in Illinois) illustrate how NATO was one of the only international organisations in which the Union was able to speak with a single voice by defending the idea of a “European nuclear model”, which could be developed if member states became tribunes for setting up a “Eurasiatom” in southern Mediterranean countries, as a way to promote this model at a regional level and a, “genuine system for tracing fissile materials”. They also argue that the Union can never become a major strategic actor unless member states openly speak about nuclear questions within the Union. This issue is far from being resolved, as European states are either avidly pro-nuclear or in favour of abolishing them, explains Eric Remacle and Sébastien Boussois (both of them work at the Bernheim Studies Centred on peace and citizenship), even though these fine demarcation lines are beginning to shift within the Union. Pierre Bouvier
*** FRANCK ORBAN: La France et la puissance. Perspectives et stratégies de politique étrangère (1945-1995). Peter Lang (1 Moosstrasse, Postfach 350, CH-2542 Pieterlen. Tel: (41-32) 3761717 - fax: 3761727 - Email: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). "Publications Universitaires Européennes / European University Studies, No. 602. 2011, 455 pp. €67.10. ISBN 978-3-631-61795-3.
This book is an extension of a doctoral thesis at the University of Oslo. It is an historical study of the relationship between France since the end of the Second World War until the end of François Mitterrand's second seven-year term. It also looks at the strategies that the French heads of state and government implemented in the foreign policy field to conserve this power and indeed to further promote it. The author draws up a “realist” perspective and begins by analysing the concept of power through this prism, borrowing heavily from the method developed by Raymond Aron. He then tackles the different critiques made of realist thought in current liberal and transnational thinking and in his third chapter he focuses on the debate regarding the supposed decline of France as an international power. Franck Orban, from France, is currently undertaking research work at the National Penitentiary Administration School in Norway and is also a senior lecturer at the University of Oslo. In this book he illustrates the different international projects for asserting French power as developed by the French heads of state and governments between 1945 and 1995. In the first part of the book he looks at the hypothesis of an ailing power, on the premise of France's changing fortunes on the international scene at the end of the Second World War. Subsequently, he analyses how the provisional government of General de Gaulle, followed by the Fourth Republic, attempted to reverse this apparent declining spiral. He then analyses the Gaullist period and the way in which the Fifth Republic sought to place France in the bipolar world in this Epoque of “proclaimed power”. The third period examined goes from the beginning of the seven-year term confiscated by Georges Pompidou in 1969 to the end of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's government in 1981, the period in which the “geopolitical consideration was frozen by the Cold War”. Finally, the two seven-year periods of François Mitterrand's governments are examined, which the author describes as, “the Power refounded”. The author provides a particularly interesting insight into the project of this statesman for pusing forward French power as part of Community Europe. He also attempts to identify the reasons for the “conversion” of this fierce opponent of General de Gaulle's policy of grandeur to the idea of building Europe. In his conclusion, the author provides a comprehensive insight into the will to sustain power. (MT)
*** ROMAIN YAKEMTCHOUK: La France et la Russie. Alliances et discordances. Editions L'Harmattan (5-7 rue de l'Ecole-Polytechnique, F-75005 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 40467920 - fax: 43258203 - Email: diffusion.harmattan@wanadoo.fr - Internet: http://www.librairieharmattan.com ). 2011, 262 p., 24 €. ISBN 978-2-296-56222-6.
Emeritus Professor at the Catholic University of Louvain and former editor-in-chief of the "Studia Diplomatica" review, Romain Yakemtchouk describes and analyses in this book, the long history of relations between France and Russia. The relationship is a long one because it dates from the marriage of Anne of Kiev to King Henry I on 14 May… 1051 in Reims, the day the new Queen, “signed her marriage contract in her own name”, whereas her husband was only able to sign by putting his “cross” to the contract. All the different stages in the Franco Russian relationship are looked at, from the position of the Russian tsars to the French relationship with the Russia of Putin and Medvedev and the France of Sarkozy. The history is traced through the Napoleonic era, the alliance between the two powers in 1891 aimed at containing German hegemony, the Treaty of mutual assistance under 1935, the alliance concluded in December 1944 in Moscow under the leadership of Charles de Gaulle, the General's visit to Moscow in 1966, in the middle of the Cold War, all confirm the policy of rapprochement between France and Russia. The author considers that in a world of perpetual change, the two countries have a mutual interest in making their relationship closer as demonstrated during the visit of president Sarkozy to Moscow in October 2007, which led to enhance Franco-Russian cooperation in all domains, including the cultural arena. (MT)
*** IRNERIO SEMINATORE: Essais sur l'Europe et le système international. Crise, multilatéralisme et sécurité. Editions L'Harmattan (See address attached). "Questions contemporaines" series. 2011, 492 pp. €43. ISBN 978-2-296-54628-8.
Founder of the European Institute of International Relations, in Brussels, Professor Seminatore's book focuses on the position and role of Europe in the world in the dawning of the 21st century. He seeks to clarify the main problem areas on the current international scene and at the same time tackle the theoretical, political and philosophical implications, which constantly arise. These reflection exercises on Europe and international system are part of the so-called “realist” school of thought, which, “ has a direct link from Thucydides to Raymond Aron” and according to which, “there cannot be an intelligible world without dignity and existential primacy of politics: without violent conflicts, enemies or war and therefore without 'Hard Power', sovereignty and subsequent unilateralism”. The author paints as exhaustive a picture as possible of the “inexhaustible and shifting framework” in the European security architecture. In light of the current crisis, he develops an “unique and abstract” hypothesis with regard to how this will develop, in conjunction with the economic and financial crisis and its politico-strategic implications. (MT)
*** JULIA HARFENSTELLER: The United Nations and Peace. The Evolution of an Organizational Concept. Peter Lang (see address attached). 2011, 335 pp, €51.20. ISBN 978-3-631-61296-1.
This book includes the doctoral thesis submitted by Julia Harfensteller at the University of Bremen in October 2010. This political scientist is also a graduate in international law and she submits the concept of peace to a scientific grilling and provides a far-reaching diagnosis of the United Nations, the organisation responsible for ensuring that peace is respected. She also provides a comprehensive examination of the conceptual understanding underpinning the UN in 1945. She seeks to identify the specific notion of peace that became apparent in the practices of its different agencies and organisations. Subsequently, she seeks to shed light on the changing hypotheses as to what this global peace organisation should resemble. Julia Harfensteller also explores the institutional dimension of this organisational concept by verifying how it is anchored in the operational and normative structures of the organisation, as well is in its policies and rhetoric.
(PBo)
*** LAHSEN ABDELMALKI, NASSIM OULMANE, GERARDO THIELEN, MUSTAPHA SADNI JALLAB (editors): Après la crise, quelles perspectives pour l'intégration commerciale en Méditerranée. Editions Publisud (15 rue des Cinq-Diamants, F-75013 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 45807850 - fax: 45899415 - Email: publisud.editions@cegetel.net - Internet: http://editionspublisud.hautetfort.com ). 2011, 340 pp. €34. ISBN 978-2-36291-015-9.
This is the fourth publication of the scientific meetings held by the, “L'Observatoire de l'émergence en Méditerranée”, held each year in Rabat. This publication contains proposals by economists in light of the crisis, as well as extremely relevant reflections on the factors for strengthening regional integration in North Africa, as well as the conditions for ensuring that this emerging zone succeeds in its economic transition. The contributions reveal that although the south is open to products from the north, including the European Union, a lot of member states within the latter still protect their markets for many products from exports from the south. The authors point out that neither the Euromed process, the Union for the Mediterranean, nor the initiatives for bilateral or multilateral cooperation have so far been able to create a dynamic for convergence that is so much sought after in southern Mediterranean rim countries… (MT)
*** Futuribles. Futuribles Sarl (47 rue de Babylone, F-75007 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 53633770 - fax: 42226554 - e-mail: revue@futuribles.com - Internet: http://www.futuribles.com ). 2011, No. 378, 98 pp, €13 (France), €14 ( abroad). Annual subscription: €115 (France), €120 ( abroad). ISBN 978-2-84387-391-1.
This edition in the monthly review created in 1974 by Hughes de Juvenile to understand the major challenges in the contemporary world and its possible evolution, confirms the determination of those that edit this publication to closely scrutinised the future of the Mediterranean region and the Middle East, as the garden of the European Union. Three European Officials - Domenico Rossetti di Valdalbero, Perl Srour-Gandon and Spela Majcen - contribute to the publication by providing the main lessons in a prospective study of the Mediterranean region up until 2020. The three different authors identify four transitional scenarios: “managing conflict”, “collective engagement in win-win projects”, “deeper economic integration” and the shift towards a “Euro-Med community”. It goes without saying that this final scenario would be most positive but it is also undoubtedly the most illusory and Jean-François Drevet, former official at the Commission shows how the Union is, “dominated by the restrictions of intergovernmental cooperation and variable geometry”, which leads it down a blind alley. (MT)