"US-EC relations: foreign policy aspects: an intra-European and transatlantic panorama: lessons of the Transatlantic Declaration, better than its reputation (some preliminary annotations)"

Wessels, W. (1993) "US-EC relations: foreign policy aspects: an intra-European and transatlantic panorama: lessons of the Transatlantic Declaration, better than its reputation (some preliminary annotations)". In: UNSPECIFIED, Washington, DC. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

[From the Introduction]. Ever since the end of World War II the relations between the United States and (Western) Europe have been a priority topic of political and academic debate. No major politician on either side of the Atlantic failed to comment on the importance of transatlantic relations stressing at the same time the fundamental changes ahead (at whatever time you look at the debate), and pointing at the necessity to create a stable and enduring framework. Quite often conflicts of interest were articulated at the same time as the identity of basic values and the logic to cooperate together in the international system were underlined. Within some common paradigms Europeans were quite often split into two groups: "Atlanticists" and "Europeanists" with Germany torn between two camps. Though national backgrounds are of a certain relevance this paper prefers to establish some kind of panorama of views floating around. The transatlantic conflicts resemble the quarrels of a cohabitating couple who keep trying to stress their own identity again and again - each continues to talk about the same issues from their own perspective, which causes disputes, but neither really wants the disagreements to end the relationship, and each quietly entertains the notion of perhaps someday formalizing their ties and getting married. Patters of conflicts and of the search for harmony are familiar.

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