Neutrality and Small States by Efraim Karsh

Author:Efraim Karsh [Karsh, Efraim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, General, Political Science, American Government, Treaties
ISBN: 9781135728472
Google: eh8lvuuML6cC
Goodreads: 17522959
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 1988-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Neutrality and Regional Co-Operation

If participation in a universal international organisation confers many benefits upon the neutral while involving few risks, action within a regional organisation, or even participation in regional cooperation without formal membership in such a framework, may in the long run tarnish the credibility of the small state’s neutrality. Membership in a regional organisation, or alternatively in an organisation comprising members of only one of the great power blocs, can quite justifiably be perceived by the opposing bloc as at best a limitation of the neutral state’s freedom and at worst as inclusion in the camp backing this organisation.

Thus, from the early postwar years onwards, the European neutrals were in a quandary over the desired pattern of co-operation with the West European states. In view of the close ties between their economies and that of Western Europe, it was evident to the neutrals — including Finland, two-thirds of whose exports go to Western Europe — that they would not be able to avoid participation, however limited, in the integrative trends on the continent after World War II. The central problem occupying them was how to keep this economic relationship from developing into political dependence — as this might under certain circumstances render it difficult to fulfil the obligations demanded by neutrality, and more seriously, be perceived by the USSR as contradictory to the idea of neutrality.

This dilemma was clearly reflected in 1948 in the differing stands adopted by the European neutrals on the question of joining the OEEC (the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation) which was created to serve as a focus for co-ordination of plans for the utilisation of the American Marshall Plan and for the economic reconstruction of Europe. While Sweden joined the organisation without any limitations or reservations, Finland refrained from either accepting the Marshall Plan or joining the OEEC, and joined its successor, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), only in 1969. Switzerland, on the other hand, chose the middle way, taking care to qualify explicitly its membership in the organisation with a number of conditions and restrictions:

It goes without saying that Switzerland will not enter into any engagement which would be incompatible with its traditional status of neutrality.

The Resolutions of the Conference affecting the Swiss economy can only become binding on the Confederation by its own agreement.

Switzerland reserves its freedom to maintain the commercial agreements concluded with European States not taking part in the work of the Conference and to enter into new ones.31

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