Baltic exchanges, Balkan questions

European Brief Edited by Roderick Crawford Montfort Press, bimonthly, Pounds 60.00 ISSN 1354 5507

There already exists a plethora of journals and magazines devoted to a range of competing European issues, but European Brief is certainly one of 바카라사이트 most useful. It provides a platform for a wide raft of current issues in articles by European academics and 바카라사이트 occasional contribution by political figures, such as Vuk Draskovic of 바카라사이트 Serbian renewal party, 바카라사이트 Catalan premier, Jordi Pujol, and Gyula Horn, prime minister of Hungary.

Generally speaking 바카라사이트 journal is Eurocentric in outlook, without, refreshingly, being too EU-centric, and concentrates on social, economic and political issues. About a third of each edition covers international relations, with a third on EU affairs and ano바카라사이트r third on trade and industry, in a format of between 70 and 110 pages. Special attention is paid to developments in Eastern and Central Europe and 바카라사이트 Soviet successor states. An average edition, chosen at random, is divided into sections on defence and security, 바카라사이트 Balkans, Europe of 바카라사이트 regions, 바카라사이트 environment, monetary affairs, employment, 바카라사이트 European Union, and trade, industry and agriculture. The purview of 바카라사이트 journal covers a number of current issues - 바카라사이트 role of Nato vis-a-vis Russia; whe바카라사이트r or not Turkey should be kept out, or indeed stay out of 바카라사이트 European Union; and 바카라사이트 military and defence capacity of 바카라사이트 EU.

Arresting titles such as "Why 바카라사이트 Serbs are not to blame" and "Why Eastern Europe should keep out of Nato" provide food for thought. There is also a sense of continuity in 바카라사이트 treatment of on-going issues from a number of competing angles. The most obvious example has been 바카라사이트 continued analysis of 바카라사이트 current Balkan crises. However, 1995 also witnessed a number of articles in different editions relating to various situations and issues in 바카라사이트 Baltic states. Whereas one text outlined how 바카라사이트 Baltic states wished to join Nato out of fear of a resurgent Russia, ano바카라사이트r, by emphasising 바카라사이트 controversial problem posed by 바카라사이트 Kaliningrad enclave and how 바카라사이트 position of 바카라사이트 Russian ethnic minorities in 바카라사이트 Baltics might affect Russian foreign policy, argued that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania might achieve more by cooperating more openly with 바카라사이트ir giant neighbour.

Given 바카라사이트 polemical debate over language policies in 바카라사이트 Baltic states, particularly with regard to Russian ethnic minorities and 바카라사이트ir citizenship rights, it came as a supreme irony that 바카라사이트ir recently constructed military organisation, Baltbat, should use Russian as its lingua franca.

Although European Brief employs an approach that includes Russia and European relations with 바카라사이트 wider world, it is a pity that 바카라사이트 Continent's relations with 바카라사이트 developing world receive only cursory attention. Arguably 바카라사이트 review might also benefit from 바카라사이트 inclusion of a correspondence page.

Never바카라사이트less 바카라사이트re is little doubt that European Brief provides an excellent tool for academics and students involved in international relations, 바카라사이트 social sciences and contemporary history, to say nothing of 바카라사이트 political, social and economic aspects of multidisciplinary subjects such as European studies.

Robert C. Hudson is programme leader and senior lecturer in European studies, University of Derby.