Title: CHANGES IN ROMANIA’S FOREIGN POLICY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF NATO AND EU MEMBERSHIP
Abstract: Abstract**: This article aims to analyze the main changes and factors which have an impact on Romania's foreign policy agenda, considering the fact that our country is a member state of the European Union and also a NATO member. The goal is therefore to identify the possible changes in the decision-making process as far as Romanian foreign policy is concerned, in the context of its accession to the European Union and the major topics that may involve an adaptation to the European Foreign and Security Policy. Romania's accession to the European Union involves that domestic foreign policy structures function in the spirit and according to the European norms, which means that certain changes and transformations need to be assumed in order to be able to fulfil the proposed objectives. This also implies a revision and ongoing adaptation of the main topics on the Romanian foreign policy agenda, such as, for instance, the issue of how viable the deployment of Romanian troops in Iraq is and its implications in the long term on our country's relations with the other EU members as well as with the other allies in NATO, or the conflict in Transnistria. With regard to this matter, it is interesting to point out that this situation has sparked off greater interest among the European audience only over the last few years, as Romania joined the European Union, rendering Brussels more sensitive to this issue which, however, is still far from being properly tackled. This has prompted Romanian decision-makers to consider in a more pragmatic and dynamic manner relations with its Eastern neighbours, through already existing instruments such as the Black Sea strategy and the ones still under elaboration, like the European Danube Strategy. Keywords: foreign policy, Romania, Eastern Partnership, European Neighbourhood Policy, Common Foreign and Security Policy, Black Sea Synergy. The EU integration process implies a very complex and multi-faceted array of implications for Romania in its relation with the European and transatlantic partners, and, last but not least, with neighbours to the East and the Middle East. This involves therefore the necessity to constantly review and rethink Romania's strategic foreign policy objectives and policies, so as to be able to better deal with the emerging tensions and challenges in the security field, and with its obligations as EU and NATO member. By joining the European Union, Romania became the Union's Eastern border, which requires us to be prepared to face all types of risks, imbalances and conflicts stemming from the East, the most pressing issue in this respect being Transnistria and, in correlation with that, a pragmatic management of relations with Russia. From this perspective, it is relevant to analyze the evolution of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, in order to grasp and understand better the responsibilities and challenges facing Romania, which is also a NATO member, and therefore assume the entire set of obligations, including those in the field of foreign and security policy. At the level of the European Union structures, the development of common strategies and crisis management procedures are a reflection of efforts to improve coordination with NATO member states. The practical cooperation between NATO and the EU in the Balkans, where the necessity for continuous regional security remains a constant preoccupation for both actors, has been reflected in the successful take-over by the EU force of the mission previously led by NATO troops in the area. At the level of EU institutions, the main structure responsible for overall co-ordination is the European Council, which gives strategic direction to EU security policy on the basis of proposals from both the Council and Commission. Given the current multi-faceted security challenges and risks at the international level, the role and importance of connecting EUinternal and external aspects of security is becoming more and more obvious. …
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-03-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['doaj']
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