Politics in Central Europe The Journal of the Central European Political Science Association Volume 1 Number 1 November 2005 The New International Role of Small(er) States NEXT ISSUES: Elections and party system stability in Central European countries Security in Central Europe CONTENTS EDITORIAL . 5–7 ESSAYS Ana Bojinović Geographical Proximity and Historical Experience as a Basis for Active Foreign Policy Strategy of Small European States – the Case of Austria and Slovenia regarding the Western Balkans . 8–29 Ladislav Cabada Czech Foreign Policy – Small State or Middle Power Approach? . 30–45 Tamara Ehs Switzerland – From Splendid Isolation to Selected Cooperation . 46–54 Karin Liebhart Cultural Patterns of Enlargement: Do Small Central European States Share Common Values? . 55–68 Šárka Waisová Per Asper Ad Astra. Human Security in International Relations Practice: a Comparative Study of Foreign and Development Policies of EU/HSN Member States . 69–92 Jerzy J. Wiatr A Small Power’s Strategy: Poland and the Ukrainian Crisis of 2004 . 93–103 BOOK REVIEWS . 104–122 GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS . 123–127 5 EDITORIAL Dear reader, Sixteen years ago the countries in the eastern part of Europe won their freedom in the Year of Miracles, and their societies started on the path towards democracy and prosperity. Democratic transition, (re)construction of constitutional and political institutions, establishment of free market economies and inclusion in global market relations – all these were processes where the East Central European nations showed their willingness to follow example of Western Europe and North America and become part of developed Euro-Atlantic post-modern society. Over these 16 years East Central European societies have experienced many positive results of the democratic transition and consolidation, but – at least in some sections of the population – some negative consequences of colossal social changes too. The transition produced not only winners, but also groups in society that were marginalized, being unable to adapt to the new conditions. We can see the results of this dissatisfaction in many states in the region, especially in election results – we should remember the electoral results in the former East Germany, support for populist political movements in Slovakia, Croatia, Romania and Poland, and unstable party systems in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Nevertheless, the countries in the region of East Central Europe (what we understand as the region of post-Communist countries in Central, South Eastern and North Eastern Europe) became consolidated democracies with relatively developed and rich market economies, in less than 20 years. The success of the democratic transition was shown also at the international level – new democratic countries were recognized as democratic and stable through their acceptance in the West. The process of democratic consolidation was symbolically completed on 1 May 2004, when eight post-Communist countries (as well as Malta and Cyprus) joined the European Union; Romania and Bulgaria should join the EU in 2007. The year 2004 also saw the second phase of NATO enlargement (after the first enlargement in 1999, when the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland joined the Alliance) being implemented and Central Europe became part of the Transatlantic community. All the aforementioned processes were examined and researched by Central European political scientists and other specialists in social sciences. Political science, international relations and other related social science fields were suppressed during the Communist period from 1948 to 1989. Nevertheless, immediately after regime change in all the former Communist Central European countries the process of re-establishment of social sciences began. The development and continuity of these disciplines in Western Europe and North America became an important example for social scientists in East Central Europe. On the other hand, scientific information on issues related to East Central European countries and societies became important for researchers from Western Europe and North America. In particular, comparative 5 politics and international relations promptly crossed borders and bridged the “gap” including the East Central Europe, into research and comparative analysis. Political scientists from Central Europe established the Central European Political Science Association (CEPSA) in 1994 as a network of researchers and university professors from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. The Croatian and Lithuanian Political Science Associations were incorporated into the CEPSA later on. Atilla Ágh, Adolf Bibič, Jan Škaloud and Jerzy J. Wiatr played an important role in particular in the process of establishing contacts among political scientists from Central European countries who were asking similar questions con- nected with similar political and societal processes in their countries. The including Austrian researchers showed another aspect of cooperation, namely that many research topics that are not connected with post-Communist reality. The CEPSA has not developed any institutional basis since its foundation; it is still working rather as a network connecting national political science associations in the Central European countries. Once a year the CEPSA organizes an annual conference on themes of the day, inviting not only researchers from Central Europe, but also their colleagues from different parts of the world. At the conference participants can share their methodological approaches, research results and experience. At the Vienna Annual Conference in May 2005 the Executive Committee of the CEPSA accepted the idea of the Czech representative that the CEPSA should establish its scientific journal, where the results of current research into Central European issues would be presented. As the partner and publisher of this newly-established scientific review, the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň, Czech Republic, was chosen by the Executive Committee of the CEPSA. POLITICS IN CENTRAL EUROPE – The Journal of the Central European Political Science Association was established as the scientific review that will publish scientific essays, book reviews and information about conferences and other events connected with Central European issues. As mentioned in the Guidelines for Authors at the end of the review: “POLITICS IN CENTRAL EUROPE publishes original, peer-reviewed manuscripts that provide scientific essays focusing on issues in com- parative politics, policy analysis, international relations and other sub-disciplines of political science, as well as original theoretical or conceptual analyses. All essays must contribute to a broad understanding of the region of Central Europe.” Our goal is to give scholars from Central Europe and beyond the opportunity to present the results of their research. Each issue of POLITICS IN CENTRAL EUROPE will be dedicated to one main issue or theme. In the first issue we present material from the Vienna Annual Conference of the CEPSA – The New International Role of Small(er) States. In this issue of the journal the theme of the next issue and the issue after it will be presented, although the co-editors reserve the right to change the themes in connection with important topical events. 6 7 Preliminary themes of the next issues: – next issue (May 2006): Elections and party system stability in Central European countries – third issue (November 2006): Security in Central Europe Besides essays, there will also be essay reviews, and book reviews published in the journal. All important information is published in the Guidelines for Authors. In the journal we would also like to inform readers about the preparations of scientific conferences, symposia, workshops etc., not only on Central European issues. All possible contributors are kindly invited to provide us with information about their activities. At the end we would like to express our gratitude to the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Prague, which supported the publication of first issue of POLITICS IN CENTRAL EUROPE – The Journal of Central European Political Science Association. Ladislav Cabada & Šárka Waisová Co-editors 6 7 ESSAYS Geographical Proximity and Historical Experience as a Basis for Active Foreign Policy Strategy of Small European States – the Case of Austria and Slovenia regarding the Western Balkans2 Ana Bojinović Abstract: The author tests the theory of a small (European) state’s active foreign policy of choosing to cooperate in a field where it could use its historical experience and geographical proximity to an area as a basis for its active foreign policy strategy. She claims that it is the change of external determinants of foreign policy which makes a small European state decide to use its historical experience or geographical proximity and a relevant area of cooperation, but in some cases selectively. The theory is verified on the basis of two small European states, Austria and Slovenia, and their historical experience, and geographical proximity to the Western Balkans. Key words: small states, foreign policy, history, geography, Europe Introduction The goal of this paper is to analyse whether a small European state necessarily chooses to cooperate in a field where it could use its historical experience of and geographical proximity to an area as a basis for its active foreign policy strategy and, if not, to