European and transatlantic context of the next Hungarian government s activities in the security of defence field
Newsletter of the Center for Security and National Defence Studies, July 2006, Budapest
Language of the original publication: Hungarian
When it comes to the necessity, so often evoked, to define a new national foreign policy strategy, it would first be advisable to make a clear distinction between two concepts. Of course it is necessary to develop a well articulated discourse, for external use, and baptized foreign policy strategy. But in accordance with the laws of the genre, this cannot go beyond hollow formulas such as "we do not have and we do not want to choose between Europe and America", "we will assume a bridge role". The problem appears when taking pretext of this pseudo-strategy, we hope to economize the burdensome task of elaborating a genuine concept for implementing our national interest, based this time on realities.
(...)
Our illusions about the posture "of moderate Atlanticism" are all the more meaningless as in practice these flowers of rhetoric do not hold a second. Because day after day we are confronted with specific questions (regarding the military applications of Galileo, a European preference in the armaments field, the setting up of a autonomous European command for example) on the subject of which we are brought, like it or not, to make our choice. A choice not "between Europe and America", but between on the one hand a discredited, subjugated Europe not being even in position of negotiation, and, on the other, a Europe having the autonomy of decision and action, thus able to establish a partnership with America on the basis of reciprocity.
For the prognosis on the European and transatlantic context, please see "Related documents".
(Hajnalka Vincze, European and transatlantic context of the next Hungarian government s activities in the security of defence field, Newsletter of the Center for Security and National Defence Studies, July 2006, Budapest, 20,097 characters)
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