Külügyi Szemle - A Magyar Külügyi Intézet folyóirata - 2010 (9. évfolyam)
2010 / 1. szám - MAGYARORSZÁG ÉS KELET-KÖZÉP-EURÓPA - Kiss J. László: Közép-Európa: "elképzelt terek" és a 21. század kihívásai
Résumé Central Europe: "Imagined Spaces" and the Challenges of the 21st Century The policies concerning Central Europe are practically constructions of realities, geopolitical projections and agendas, as well as various "imagined spaces", to which idely different meanings have been given at various times. As Central Europe is the Europe of changing spaces and functions, we should define its contents again and again. Central Europe means different political, economic, cultural, and geopolitical contents in relation to the four paradigm changes of European historical development. The first one is the history of delayed German statehood that emerged from the fault lines of the European great powers, which possessed special global (imperial) and continental (Central European) options, first as Central Europe as a basis for colonialism, then as its substitute. This option became a non-starter as a result of the European integration after the Second World War, while the 'responsibility' for Central Europe took the shape of supporting the Euro-atlantic integration of the East and Central European states in the foreign policy of the German Federal Republic. The second discourse is the history of the relationship among the Central European small states, as well as their links with the German and Soviet great powers. The third discourse is the 'disappearance' of Central Europe when the 'center' was becoming a dual periphery. The Central European dimension in this process basically meant the German and Austrian Ostpolitik with its attempts at disarmament and arms reduction plans, regional geopolitical experiments, as well as the politics of getting closer to the EC and the cultural re-discovery of the area. Finally, the fourth discourse was the reorganization of the region, which had meanwhile become free from great powers, as the tool for European integration. Nowadays, the "Central European" project primarily means the V-4 cooperation and the role and initiatives of the region in the EU Neigborhood Policy (Eastern Partnership, Western Balkans). However, despite the fact the regionalism has become stronger during the EU expansion, no special regional common interests and identity have emerged in the eastern part of Central Europe. There are still different security perceptions and interests in the region with regard to the relationship with the U.S., the assessment of the German- Russian cooperation, nation building, minority policies, etc. The Hungarian foreign policy will get an opportunity in the successive Hungarian and Polish EU-presidencies in 2011 to redefine the region and direct attention to the area again. 62 Külügyi Szemle
