Külpolitika - A Magyar Külügyi Intézet elméleti-politikai folyóirata - 1985 (12. évfolyam)
1985 / 3. szám - A tanulmányok orosz és angol nyelvű tartalmi kivonata
László Csaba: CMEA in the changing world The first part of the article outlines the changes and prevailing trends in the CMEA countries’ participation in the international division of labour. True, starting from a very low level, the world market share of CMEA countries had been on an increase up to the mid-1960s. By 1983, CMEA managed again to reach a i.j per cent increase in its world market share, a remarkable result since between 1981 and 1983, world market exports decreased by 8.4 per cent. This increase in the world market share demonstrates the extraordinary efforts made by the CMEA countries to restore their foreign trade balance. Two thirds of this increase however had been achieved by the Soviet Union, a fact indicating modest results on behalf of the East European group of countries wrestling with international payment problems. Despite these developments, the long-term process of the loss of market asserts itself. Apart from 1983, the export share of the Soviet Union and the East European countries, reached their highest level in 1965. There fore, it is rather the 1960s than the 1970s that can be regarded as a period of opening to the world market. There were similar processes in imports as well but the so often blamed excessive opening to the world market did not, in fact, take place. Consequently, by narrowing down their opening to world market, the CMEA countries can hardly remedy their international payment problems, in spite of the fact that these countries so far managed to achieve certain results mainly in this way. In the 1980s, the system of conditions of cooperation within CMEA underwent radical changes: while earlier, the energy and raw material supplies by the Soviet Union alimented the processing industries of the small CMEA countries, in the current decade, the Soviet Union is emphatically urging her CMEA partners to increasingly utilize their domestic natural resources. The reasons of this, among others, are increasing difficulties in the Soviet raw material production and the wasteful processing industry structures in the socialist countries and the fact that changes in the policy and mechanism, destined to modify these structures, failed to be implemented. Vesides, the declining raw material prices forced the Soviet Union to increase its raw material exports to Western Europe in order to be able to maintain its convertible exports ni- come at an unchanged level. In exchange for its raw material supplies, the Soviet Union wants more up-to-date and higher technology industrial products from its CMEA partners. Advancement requires such a strategy that tries to cope with the difficulties listed above and that helps CMEA countries adapt to the changes in the world economy. Considering the capabilities, it looks probable that interbranch division of labour will continue to be of primary importance in the future too. The gradual development in the inter-branch division of labour and the fact that the current joint CMEA programmes are directed to territories, which are increasingly sensitive to new products (e.g. electronics, computet and robot production, microprocessor technology) obviously justify considerable changes in the mechanism of cooperation. Kálmán Pécsi: The economic relations between CMEA and the developing countries — Some political, theoretical and practical aspects The complexity of the inter-relations between politics and economy will, in all certainty, play a more significant role in the development of future economic relations between the developing countries and CMEA. The article is seeking an answer to the question whether the current model of economic relations will be able to satisfy the needs or else, far-reaching changes of theoretical character can be expected. Based on a survey of some aspects of trade between the two groups of countries, the author arrives at the conclusion that their economic relations are under the process of transformation. The article gives an analysis of the economic policy and theoretical aspects of this transformation. On the economic policy side, the relations between the two groups of countries are today influenced by both positive and negative factors. In a polemical tone, the author enlists and analyzes the complaints one after the other that emerged on behalf of the developing countries in their relations with CMEA countries. Regarding the theoretical aspect, the author arrives at the conclusion that today there is no scientifically and jointly discussed socialist aid theory. Finally, the author expounds several models applicable in multi- and bi-lateral economic relations between CMEA and the developing countries. In conclusion, the author takes the stand that considering their political weight, the economic relations between CMEA and the developing countries constitute a significant part of international progress. The further development of these relations, both in theory and practice, is an important common task of the progressive forces. V
