*** PIERRE HASSNER ET ROLAND MARCHAL (Ed.): Guerres et sociétés. Etats de violence après la Guerre froide. Editions Karthala (22-24 bld Arago, F-75013 Paris. Internet: http: //http://www.karthala.com ). "Recherches internationales", CERI. 2003, 615 pp.. ISBN 2-84586-392-6.
Written by big names in European and US university research into international relations, this book is the rich and varied proceedings of a conference organised by CERI in May 2000 on “The war between local and global - society - states - systems". Originally, the book aimed to gather together a series of binary positions, both in terms of methodology, geography and history, about the different analyses of international relations. The high quality essays, which can serve as references in their field, were soon left behind by the great global event of 11 September 2001. While it is necessary to consider the book with some hindsight given the tragic events that followed, we may spend more time considering the introduction and conclusion, both written in the light of September 11.
While considering the relevance of the chapters in-between - making an analysis of the post Cold War period and the different attitudes adopted by developed countries to the war - the authors of the introduction extend their analysis to consider the ways in which September 11 would take international relations into a new era. Would it change the whole idea of war and the state and would it totally challenge the local, national, regional and global dimensions? Pierre Hassner's introduction hence begins a line of thought - continued in Roland Marchal's conclusion - that sheds doubt on all simplifying theories of relations between war and the state, preferring to take a more perplexed attitude with regard to the complexity of international relations: "The paroxysm of conflict relations may lead as far as a second Cold War or a third World War". Starting with an analysis of changes in international relations from the local towards the global, the authors explore the different attitudes taken by countries to the war, and to the globalisation of violence and the rise in ethnicity. The speeding up of this phenomenon following September 11 is seen as coming as a boon to a series of countries, which were able to assimilate their enemies with terrorism, while others, like Germany, have declared their rejection of military adventures.
Finally, through an analysis of the various conflicts, starting before or after September 11 (the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, India, Afghanistan, Latin America, Africa), all the authors highlight their refusal to apply general, simplified theories of international relations, stressing the diversity of current conflicts. A vital book given the high quality of its in-depth analysis. Its apparent complexity reflects the authors' perplexity with regard to the opaqueness of contemporary international relations, and the authors' desire to encourage readers to think for themselves.
Nathalie Vandystadt
*** ANTONIO MISSIROLI (Ed.): De Copenhague à Bruxelles. Les textes fondamentaux de la défense européenne. Institut d'Etudes de Sécurité de l'Union européenne (43 av. du Président Wilson, F-75775 Paris cedex 16. Tel: (33-1) 56891930 - Fax: 56891931 - institute@iss-eu.org - Internet: http://www.iss-eu.org ). "Cahiers de Chaillot", No. 67. 2003, 462 pp., 15 euros.
Following on from his most recent collection of basic texts on the subject of European defence, Antonio Missiroli, researcher at the Paris institute headed by Nicole Gnesotto, retraces the path taken by the European defence policy from the Copenhagen European Council of December 2002 until the December 2003 European Council. The path followed by the European Union is both political and institutional, he notes in the introduction, commenting that while Copenhagen represents enlargement, Brussels is synonymous with the concentration of resources and (one would hope) of political will. The author is forces to admit the 'vertical fracture' that tore through Europe in 2003 with regard to the war on Iraq and the 'structurally frustrating' dead-end in which the Intergovernmental Conference on the European Constitution is currently stuck, but he also highlights that looking beyond appearances, European defence has made progress at a surprising speed. It has also made progress, he points out, in terms of operations (the police mobilisation in Bosnia Herzegovina, the Concordia and Proxima relations in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Artemis in the Democratic Republic of Congo) and strategy (with the Security Strategy proposed by Javier Solana for example, "developed in stages using an innovative method"), and also at the institutional level (with the December 2003 compromise on general military headquarters for EU operations, the decision to establish an Agency to cover defence research and research capacities, and the most recent version of articles on CFSP in the Constitutional Treaty, which have 'virtually been accepted' by the EU25'). Antonio Missiroli divides the book into three parts - looking at the CFSP, Iraq and the European Convention and the IGC- and divides the essays in their annual report into three categories, ranging from the winter of discontent, to the appeasement of last autumn; statements on changes to the CFSP adopted following the EU Councils of Ministers; documents arising from bilateral or multilateral meetings announcing new initiatives in terms of positions on CFSP; and speeches and articles by figures of particular interest in terms of drafting the CFSP.
(MG)
*** Constitution européenne et sécurité internationale. Economica (49 rue Héricart, F-75015 Paris). "Les Cahiers de la PESC", No.° 4. 2004, 328 pp, 25 euros. ISBN 2-7178-4765-0.
The essays in this fine book, written by many Convention Members and various other politicians (like EU High Representative Javier Solana, the President of the Belgian Senate and President of the WEU Assembly' Armand De Decker) are useful for providing a pedagogical introduction to the European project and an assessment of the global security set-up, notes Irnério Seminatore, President of the Institut européen des relations internationals in the introduction. The aim of this book, writes Mr. Seminatore in the introduction, is to explain ideas and be the essential reference book for in the future for young researchers, lawyers and historians. What makes this book particularly pleasant to read is the fact that Mr. Seminatore decided to enrich it with illustrations by a young team of imaginative graphic artists (the GCP group) and children from a school in the Seine et Marne region.
(MG)
*** GUSTAV LINDSTROM (Ed.): Shift or rift. Assessing US-EU relations after Iraq. European Union Institute for Security Studies (43 Av. du Président Wilson, F-75775 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 56891930 - Fax: 56891931 - institute@iss-eu.org - Internet: http://www.iss-eu.org ). "Transatlantic Books 2003". 2003, 255 pp, 10 euros. ISBN 92-9198-043-9.
Is it necessary to speak of a rift between Europe and the United States? In November 2002, disagreement between the EU and the US with regard to United Nations Resolution 1441 aiming to legitimise the use of force in Iraq, provided an indication of radically new relations between these two allies and stimulated the Institut d'études to start this book. In the months leading up to the US intervention in Iraq, and during the war, the intense debate between the two sides of the Atlantic and within the European Union itself, provided even more meat for this study. Each chapter in the book is composed of essays by a US and a European author. The first chapter looks at changes in the US concept of international relations and foreign policy. Attention in the US has shifted from Europe towards the Middle East and western Asia, with a policy of dissuasion giving way to the idea of preventative war, with foreign policy being characterised by unilateralism, giving no ground to international treaties. The second chapter looks at the way the US and the EU think of themselves and of the rest of the world. Chapters three and four look at what the US, disappointed with the reaction of some countries, now expects from Europe and also at the future of Europe, particularly with regard to military capacity. The authors then look at foreign policy in the US in more general terms, torn between 'hegemonists' (who want the United States to liberate itself from outside constraints, even if this means taking unilateral action and using their dominant position to ensure its interests come first) and 'globalists' who see the power of the US, despite its leading position, as forming part of the phenomenon of globalisation and therefore having to take account of international institutions. The book is rounded off with three case studies.
(FRo)
*** ALFRED GROSSER (Ed.): Les pays de l'Union européenne. La documentation française (29 quai Voltaire, F-75007 Paris. Internet: http://www.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr ). "Les études de la documentation française". 2003, 206 pp. ISBN 2-11-005443-3.
"Europe, between past and future", is the heading chosen by Alfred Grosser in his analytical, summarising and detailed editorial. Grosser himself no longer needs introducing. The historian places in its necessary perspective, both in terms of chronology and geography, the countries of the European Union. He asserts that one has to return to the end of the Second World War in order to understand the different attitudes taken by the US, the UK and the French, the three players which have constituted opposing poles in recent events, namely the coalition's invasion of Iraq. The book intelligently starts with a series of equally brilliant essays. The first section is made up of 'studies'. Frédéric Charillon, lecturer at the Paris Institut d'études politiques raises a question which can be considered the central question facing Europe today, namely the difficult issue of how to define its identity. This leads him to analyse the problematic context of 'the combination of enlargement and the Iraq crisis'. Stephen Martens, researcher at the Institut des relations internationales et stratégiques, considers Franco-German relations from 1963 onwards. This is followed by a section of 'summaries', analysing the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. Current events in 2002 is analysed country by country in great detail. The final part of the book provides a one page summary of the political, economic and social situations in each of the other EU Member States in 2002.
(ADR)
*** STEFANO SILVESTRI: Space and Security Policy in Europe. Institut d'Etudes de Sécurité de l'Union européenne (see above). "Occasional Papers", No. 48. 2003.
This issue of the series of publications issued by the Paris Security Studies Institute, headed by Nicole Gnesotto, is a summarised version of a report by Stefano Silvestro, who heads the Rome-based Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI). The report was unveiled in December 2003 at an international conference on Europe and space (http: //http://www.iai.it ). The author recognises that the development of a European space policy has been encouraged by the EU's recent decision to go ahead with the Galileo programme, noting hat while space instruments are necessary for our collective security, there is no European awareness of the advantages of common space systems. A community of European users of space has yet to be set up, both of national defence establishments and at the level of European citizens in general, points out Silvano Silvestri. He goes on to add that Europe is a relatively new player in space, having the capacity to initiate policy and finance it, but not to replace all the other players. The first basic objective, in his view, should be the stabilisation of the EU's presence in space, in order to guarantee the EU in the future has space capacity in order to meet the needs of an inter-connected European security and defence policy. This means it is important to identify what Europe's minimum vital presence in space might look like in terms of meeting security and defence objectives, adds Stefano Silvestri, adding that in practical terms, one could establish in parallel space security committees at the ESA and the EU Council of Ministers. The author notes that for the European Union, space is a sector used by both civilians and the military, but mainly civilians. He suggests that in order to avoid having two many space security bodies, the ESA and the Council of the EU could decide to establish a joint space security authority under the leadership of the EU High Representative, which would have responsibility for strategic aspects of space security and strategy.
(MG)
*** PASCAL LOROT: A qui profite la guerre ? Editions 1 (31 rue de Fleurus, Paris 6e. Falguière, F-75741 Paris. Internet: http://www.editions1.com ). 2003, 219 pp, 19.05 euros. ISBN 2-84612-135-4.
Is war part of human nature? This is the question that the author, Director of the Institut Choiseul pour la politique internationale et la géoéconomie, attempts to answer. Starting with the Cold War and ending with the most recent Iraq war, Pascal Lorot outlines a long list of armed conflict (from Chechnya to the Ivory Coast, via Yugoslavian and African wars) making useful distinctions between civil war, inter-ethnic war, tribal and clan wars, oil wars, drug wars, liberation wars, terrorism, preventative wars and electronic warfare. For each of these, the author makes a user-friendly analysis of the characteristics of such conflicts, arriving at the conclusion that every war has to be seen as a special case, both in terms of its origins and how it unfolds, and also in terms of its consequences. Unlike what the title of this book might lead one to suspect, Pascal Loriot rejects the idea of a conspiracy seeing the existence of groups or factions behind any war which would benefit, a priori, from the conflict in question.
(ESt)
*** The COMMISSION EUROPEENNE (Official Publications Office of the European Communities, L-2985 Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following document:
*** CECA Investissements 2002. DG Economy and Finance (Bâtiment Wagner A 119, rue Alcide de Gasperi, L-2920 Luxembourg. Tel: (352-4301) 330228 - Fax: 36599). 2003, 126 pp, ISBN 92-894-6197-7.
The outcome of research carried out in 2002, the data included in this report concerns investment in the EU's coal and steel industries. The information is provided in German, French and English, with basic figures being provided by ECSC companies. They are then combined on a regional basis for the coal industry and on a national basis for the steel industry. The report looks at the steel, coal, coke and iron ore industries. It includes a range of detailed information (changes in the industries, production options, forecasts, etc) both by country and by type of product (coated sheet, steel for reinforced concrete, etc.).
*** Revue du Marché commun et de l'Union européenne. Editions techniques et économiques (3 rue Soufflot, F-75005 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 55426131 - Fax: 55426139- editecom@starnet.fr - Internet: http: //http://www.editecom.com ). March 2004, No. 476, 56 pp. Annual subscription: 202 euros.
Articles in this issue look at the state of the Stability Pact ("Is the Stability Pact dead?", asks Benjamin Angel, formerly member of Pedro Solbes' Cabinet), the Constitution (which, according to Nicolas Moussis, formerly an advisor to the Commission, has to be adopted and then adapted by qmv), and the challenges and risks of enlarging the Economic and Monetary Union. Other articles look at the EU's position vis-à-vis national minorities - like the large Russian-speaking minority in Latvia and Estonia - and the controversial issue of GMOs and the legislative framework in this connection drafted by the EU, requiring prior authorisation before GMOs are introduced and traceability and labelling to ensure citizens are informed about the presence of GMOs in food.
*** Liaisons sociales Europe. Groupe Liaisons (1 Avenue Edouard-Belin, F-92500 Rueil-Malmaison. Tel: (33-8) 25800929 - Fax: (33-1) 44722027 - Internet: http//http://www.liaisons-sociales.com ). March 2004, No. 100, 12 pp, 32 euros. Annual subscription: 867.85 euros.
The first page of this leaflet looks at the battle lining up between European employers and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) over changes to the working time directive. The review will have to take the form of legislation, because the ETUC does not want to negotiate over it. The review then looks at the willingness of British courts to provide protection for people harassed at work. British law does not recognise mobbing as such and workers are increasingly claiming discrimination with regard to redundancy. This is the 100th issue of this review of Liaisons sociales Europe, and for this reason, the editorial team is introduced and there is a recap of major European social events over the past four years.
*** AmCham Business Journal. American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium (50 av. des Arts bte 5, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 5136770 - Fax: 5133590 - Internet: http://www.amcham.be ). 1st quarter of 2004, No. 549, 40 pp, 6.20 euros.
The main issue in this issue of the Business Journal is tax, considering the tax amnesty in Belgium, the Belgian government's new measures to create 200,000 jobs, double taxation on shares, the new legislation passed by the Supreme Court on shares, and the need to cut taxes on companies in Belgium. The Journal addresses issues of interest to US expats in particular, but these issues will also be of interest to Belgian citizens. A series of other articles look at US companies locating in Belgium, upcoming elections, copyright, the U.S. Commercial Service and the Stability Pact.
Reviews in brief
*** Information. European Investment Bank. 1st quarter of 2004, No. 1, Luxembourg. A report on activity in 2003, outlining various EIB projects for social housing, communications networks, urban development and hospitals, for example. The issue includes a hierarchy of staff at the EIB. *** Slovenia News. Government PR and Media Office. March 2004, N° 12, Ljubljana. Slovenia News focuses on issues like the European artistic gymnastics championship and the book published by the World Bank: "Slovenia: from Yugoslavia to European Union".