*** MARTIN SAETER, SEFA MARTIN YÛRÜKEL (Edited by): Turkey in a Global-Local Perspective. Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (25 Gronlandsleiret, Postboks 8159, 0033 Oslo. Tel: (47-22) 056500 - Fax: 177015 - E-mail: pub@nupi.no - Internet: http://www.nupi.no ). 2000, 93 pages. ISBN 82-7002-097-4.
Gems are sometime found in publications where, initially, we did not expect to find them. This pamphlet of modest and tern beginnings is the proof of this. Through it, it is a different perspective, far from the ideas already formulated, that the reader is invited to ask on Turkey and the potential implications, for this country as for Community Europe and the world as a whole, of the possible (probable?) entry, in the long-term, into the European club as a fully fledged member. Polished mirror of a conference organised last year in November by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, this publication presents "classic" speeches, targeted on specific issues: the hydroelectric needs and ambitions of Turkey, the Kurdish issue (Jon Rud, President of the Norwegian Council for Kurdish rights, notably underlines how the extent to which it would be "important and difficult to bring the militaries under civilian control"), the crossroads for drugs that is this region… So many high brow and morally just contributions. However they are crushed by two other comments with a much wider scope.
The first is attributable to Prof. Martin Saeter, for the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs, who studies through a geopolitical perspective the place and role of Turkey under the wing of European integration. An accession, he immediately notes, would modify them considerably, but both the EU's profile at a regional and international level: have common borders with Syria, Iraq, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan would not be without radical repercussions on the perception of the world. Neither on relations with Russia and the United States. The hypothesis that Martin Saeter starts with, is that Turkey has had to stand firm for such a long time to see itself recognised with statute of candidate, it is less due to the reticence linked to culture, minorities, human rights or the market economy than due to the balance to be found within the EU, between deepening and enlargement. Since the start, the two visions of the European building process oppose each other: on the one hand, those that, as with France, want a political and independent Europe, for the others that, lead by London, push for integration limited to economic cooperation. Which is nothing less, according to him, than a conflict between "two divergent security guidelines", one targeting for the affirmation of a Union independent from NATO and the United States, the other refusing to bring into question the leadership of the Atlantic Alliance and Washington. For Prof. Saeter, the first school of thought has always won, since the first enlargement till the most recent, but Turkey, remains on the sidelines… Why? Well, precisely because of the special geopolitical situation of this country, France and its allies cannot accept to consider its candidacy as long as the internal controversy continues. And they have decided to leave the door ajar in Helsinki, this would be because they have the feeling that their vision has won, that the march towards an independent political and military Europe cannot be deviated (blocked, is another thing…). As some would say wait and see…
This thought process, the honorary Ambassador Mustafa Aksin adds to it by answering the question of knowing what should be Turkey's place - this country that history and geography have wanted everywhere and nowhere…- in a constantly changing world. Already, it finds itself more on the periphery were the Cold War had relegated it, now it returns to a position of central geopolitical crossroads. A future as a regional power house, still awaits it? In the short-term, no: too many internal problems are to be resolved. Though its benefits are also enormous. The reforms of Ataturk are deeply implanted and the gaze turned towards west never brought into question. It economic expansion is obvious, its potential for growth even more so. In fact all the qualities needed to one day become an unquestionable regional actor. But what actor? Positive or negative? For the author, the status of candidate has as merit to reinforce the position of the Turkish reformers. If only for this reason, the EU acted well . Michel Theys
*** PETER COFFEY (Edited by): Europe - Toward the Next Enlargement. Kluwer Academic Publishers (Distribution Centre, P.O. 322, NL-3300 AH Dordrecht. Tel: (31-78) 6392392 - Fax: 6546474 - E-mail: services@wkap.nl - Internet: http: //http://www.wkap.nl ). "International Handbooks on Economic Integration" collection . 2000, 221 pages. ISBN 0-7923-7847-4.
With the introduction of the single currency and its planned enlargement, Europe finds itself, once more - and no doubt more so than ever! - at the crossroads. How will it face these deadlines in the form of crucial challenges? Not very well, if we are to believe Peter Coffey, the Englishman who holds the U.S West Chair in Economics at the University of St. Thomas, in Minnesota. In his introductory contribution to this work, he stigmatises "the missed opportunity" that was the Agenda 2000 and the Berlin summit of March 1999. Without far more drastic reforms of CAP and regional and social policies, "the arrival of new Member States, especially Poland, will lead Europe with a near certainty towards bankruptcy", he diagnoses before considering the costs and benefits of enlargement. On an economic level, the present imbalances between East and West do not seem insurmountable to him, the CEEC nationals being generally "very well educated" and the weakness of their wages ensuring a comparative advantage for them. So many benefits that, according to Peter Coffey, could also contribute towards the establishment of an optimal monetary area. The rest of the work falls into contributions on more limited themes. Peter Coffey starts with EMU, adventure in which "even the well integrated members of a customs union join at their own risk and peril". Marie Soveroski carried out an critical, but constructive analysis of the Agenda 2000, stigmatising in particular its budgetary aspects. John Baechtler looks at the regional repercussions of enlargement, Pierre-André Buigues and André Sapir at those that would have an effect on the Single Market. Finally, Heino A. P. Beckmann punctuates the work by asserting that the development of the single market for financial services would be crucial in the creation of an optimal well being for the Europe of tomorrow. Also to be note is the fact the Agence EUROPE is widely cited in the annexes… (MT)
*** CVETANA TODOROVA, EDGAR HÖSCH (Edited by): Südosteuropa von der Krise zur Transformation . Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft, 49 Widenmayerstr., D- 80538 München). Tel: (49-089) 2121540 - Fax: 2289469 - E-mail: suedosteuropa-gesellschaft@t-online.de). "Aus den Südesteuropa-Forschung" collection, N° 12. 2000, 176 pages, DM 26. ISBN 3-92450-84-X.
This publication by Südosteuropa- Gesellschaft reproduces the events of a meeting between German and Bulgarian historians that took place in the summer of 1999 in Munich. Twenty seven essays deconstruct development in Eastern Europe since the economic and socio-political crisis that the communist system experienced in the 1980s and the problems of its transition towards democracy, the rule of law and the market economy in the 1990s. These themes are broached through the problems in the development of the rural area (Romania), the training of the elite (Bulgaria), historical myths (Romania and Bulgaria) as well as linguistic issues and minorities (Greece, Macedonia and Bulgaria). (CB)
*** EVA BEHRING (Edited by): Rumänische Exilliteratur 1945-1989 und ihre Integration heute. Beiträge des Deutsch-Rumänischen Symposions der Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft und der Fundatia Culturala Româna in Freiburg, 26/27 October 1998. Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft (see details above). "Aus der Südosteuropa-Forschung" collection, N° 11. 1999, 180 pages, DM 26. ISBN 925450-82-3.
Its of a German-Romanian conference on Romanian literature in exile from 1945 to 1989 - Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft, associated for the occasion with the Romanian cultural foundation in Bucharest. The various contributions - presented in German and Romanian - shed light on the coherence of the three main waves of exile that the Romanian writers experienced (1941, 1971 and the 1980s) and agree to recognise that it is the removal of the Iliescu regime, during the election of November 1996, which put an end to the exile of intellectuals. On the other hand, this issue reveals the disagreement that reigns when we broach issues such as the definition of literature in exile and the parameters that differentiate it with the literature of the "interior", as well as the complex process of integrating exile and national literature. (CB)
*** Slovenia Weekly. Vitrum d.o.o. (38 Hradeckega, 1000 Ljubljana. Tel: (386-1) 4261412 - Fax: 5402027 - E-mail: sw@vitrum.si). N° 34 (September) of this weekly publication dedicates an article to the tenth anniversary of Slovenian diplomacy while the Minister for Foreign Affairs Lojze Peterle underlines, in a meeting, that Slovenian accession to the European Union is more than ever the main priority of Lubljan.
*** WALTER ALTHAMMER (Edited by): Makedonien Probleme und Perspektiven eines jungen Staates. Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft (see detail above). "Aus der Südosteuropa-Forschung" collection, N° 10. 1999, 124 pages, DM 2. ISBN 3-925450-81-5.
This study relating to the problems and prospects of Macedonia forms the end of a journey for a study carried out by members of the Südosteuropa Gesellschaft in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in September 1998. Notably during two symposiums, various "sensitive" subjects had been broached: relations between Macedonia and Bulgaria, the controversy caused by the language of Macedonia (that the Bulgarians consider as a dialect of western Bulgaria), the conflict and then the cooperation between Arym and Greece. Other aspects such as the media and freedom of opinion, privatisation and economic forecasts are also developed in this issue. (CB)
*** European Buletin. Edizioni Nagard (9, via Larga, I-20122 Milan. Tel: (39-02) 583371400 - Fax: 58304790). May 2000, N° 6000, 24 pages.
To celebrate its 600th edition and its fifty years of existence, the European bulletin founded by Constantin Dragan publishes an editorial by Guido Ravasi and includes quotes from the time, notably from Prof. Dragan himself (on "Romanians and the idea of Europe"), by Adenauer, De Gasperi and Einaudi. Furthermore, this issue contains an article by Pascal Fontaine, who was the last assistant to Jean Monnet, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Schuman Declaration and an "Open letter on the European linguistic problem" Germain Pirlot, who lambastes any idea to use in the future of the European Union of only three languages-English, French and Germany. Mr Pirlot asks himself how we can "decently condemn xenophobia (racism based on ethnicity) while favouring glottophobia (racism based on language)" and cries: "what a beautiful democracy we have!". (MG)
*** SANDRINE MALJEAN-DUBOIS, ROSTANE MEHDI: Les Nations Unies et la protection de l'environnement: la promotion d'un développement durable. Editions A. Pedone (13 rue Soufflot, F-75005 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 43540597 - Fax: 46340760). 1999, 208 pages, FF 180, EUR 27.50. ISBN 2-233-00355-1.
Humanity is confronted to an ecological crisis without precedent, which, without a doubt, calls for revolutionary solutions. Innovative strategies are required to marry economic growth, balanced human development and the preservation of a healthy and productive ecosystem. Progress in this direction has been achieved, but no enough; questions remain, while it is a case of our survival… This book - which reproduces events from the Seventh International meeting in Aix en Provence organised in January 1999, by the Institute of Political Studies and the Centre for International and Community Research and Study of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences - broaches various aspect of this crucial problem: the international framework of the United Nations, the programme for the sustainable human development that they have developed, the instruments they have, the legal and financial mechanisms, the protection of the law by the European Court of Human Rights, the role of scientists and NGOs.. A complete overview. (LD)
*** ERIC DIBAS-FRANCK: Les Nations Unies en Afrique: le cas de l'Angola. Editions Publisud (15 rue des Cinq-Diamants, F-75013 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 45807850 - Fax: 45899415 - E-mail: publisud@ compuserve.com). "L'avenir de la politique" collection. 2000, 111 pages. ISBN 2-86600-486-8.
Presented by Prof. Philippe Decraene, former President of the Académie des Sciences d'Outre-Mer, as a "significant nationalist " and a "pan-Africanist", Eric Dibas-Franck, lawyer and political scientist from the Congo, usefully clarifies, in this work dedicated to main former Portuguese colony of imbroglio angolais by casting a impartial eye on the limits of the United Nations action and the absence of
the OAU. (MT)
*** GERALDINE FAES, STEPHEN SMITH: Bokassa Ier. Un empereur français. Calmann-Lévy (3 rue Auber, F-75009 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 47423833 - Fax: 47427781). 2000, 386 pages, FF 149. ISBN 2-7021-3028-3.
Journalists specialised in Africa, Géraldine Faes and Stephen Smith sign, with this book, the first major biography of the former emperor of Central Africa Jean-Bedel Bokassa, which especially enables them to cast a impartial eye over the ambiguities of Franco-African relations of the time. (MT)
*** EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DG ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL: Economy of the Union: 1999 assessment. Edition 2000. Edited by the Commission and distributed by the sales network of the Office of official publication. 2000, 502 pages. Published in all the official languages of the EU. Annual subscription: EUR 112.
In summary: The EU on the verge of a sustained recovery, the improvement of the labour market, the assessment of inflation within the EU, present and future prospects, development of EU monetary conditions in 1999, causes and challenges with regard to unemployment in the EU, system of obligatory payments and social contribution towards the creation of jobs, long-term economic and budgetary implications of ageing population and future development on European stock markets.
*** Revue européenne de droit de la consommation. CDC, Université catholique de Louvain (Place Montesquieu 2, B-1348, Louvain-La Neuve. Tel: (32-10) 478531. Fax: 478532. E-mail: legrece@cdc.ucl.ac.be). 1/2000. Annual subscription: BEF 6,800.
This review reproduces the main presentations from the colloquium organised in Brussels by the Centre de droit de la consommation in September 1999. This event allowed for the starting of the thought process over the risks face when altering the consumer protection mechanisms, especially at the stage of the expression of consent in the framework of a contract or electronic payment. This work contains numerous bibliographic references likely to interest those in the sector, economists, traders and lawyers.
*** ECONOMIA EXTERIOR. Estudios de Politica Exterior (6 Padilla, E-28006 Madrid. Tel: (33-91) 4312628 - Fax: 5777252. Internet: http://www.policaexterior.com - Email: revista@politicaexterior.com). Annual subscription: 20,000 pta (Spain) or 26,000 (Europe). N°13, 2000.
In summary of this review entitled "El futur economico de China": the Chinese economy and the crisis in Asia, China's image in Spain, the Spanish hold on the reforming China, the continuous attraction of China, China-Spain cooperation in the nuclear field, the Chinese market for infrastructures and finally the reality, myths and disappointments of the Chinese market.
*** EUROPA-Europe. Fondazione Istituto Gramsci (via Portuense Roma. Tel: (39-65) 834151. Fax: 8349186. Internet: http://www.europaeurope.it. E-mail: readzioneeurope.it. Six monthly, year 9, N°2, 2000. Annual subscription: ITL 120,000 (Italy) or ITL 180,000 (abroad).
In summary of this review: How to govern globalisation, Austria and the Haider affair, Haider and the European Constitution, the European future in the Balkans, religion and the future of Europe, the catholic church enters into a new evangelism, the orthodox church and European identity, universalism and individualism in the Hebrew presence, the rise of Islam in Europe, the new local administration and citizenship, transparency and responsibility in urban management, the difficult restructuring of oil infrastructures in Russia.
*** EUROPEAN COMMISSION. L'Europa dei Guindici: dati quiave. Coll. Europe on the move. Edited by the European Commission and distributed by the sales network of the EU Office of official; publications. ISBN: 9282876063.
This review contains statistical data with regard to population, standards of living, occupation of territory, economy, as well as on the candidate countries of Central Europe.
National reviews in brief
*** Trefpunt Economie. In summary of this monthly by the Ministry of Economic Affairs: the role of rules of origin in international competition as well as that of the Belgian authorities responsible for competition in the European Union. *** Chronique des Nations Unies. In summary of issue number 3 of this publication: the birth of the 6th billion person in the world while the United Nations examines issues of population, poverty and development. *** Choix. In summary of this edition of December 1999: the consolidation of peace and development, the reform of the corrupt establishments in Haiti, the return of arms in Albania and rebuilding life in Burundi, Kosovo, Laos and Palestine. *** Energies. Issue 42 of this bimonthly draws the portrait of the company TotalFinaElf on the eve of a new era.