Safeguarding EU's interests: - The predicament of the EU between the ideal and the pragmatic approach towards Serbia
Author
Christensen, Jens Adler
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2008
Abstract
The thesis explores how the EU can safeguard its overarching interests vis-à-vis Serbia during pre-accession negotiations where the policy of conditionality (notably cooperation with the ICTY) collides with political and geopolitical realities. It highlights the EU’s ambiguous approach and the dilemma between ideals and pragmatism shaped by Kosovo’s bid for independence, Serbian nationalism, presidential politics, and Russia’s support for Serbian positions. Methodologically, it combines theoretical frameworks such as Regional Security Complex Theory and neoliberalism/neorealism with historical background on the Balkans and Serbia, an overview of the EU’s enlargement process and instruments, and analysis of EU interests and policy options toward Serbia. The thesis discusses the implications of maintaining strict conditionality versus adopting more flexible compromises to deter a Russian tilt and promote regional stability. Specific conclusions or empirical findings are not provided in the excerpt.
Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan EU kan beskytte sine overordnede interesser i relation til Serbien under præ-tiltrædelsesforhandlingerne, hvor EU’s politik om betingethed (især samarbejdet med ICTY) møder politiske og geopolitiske udfordringer. Den belyser EU’s ambivalente tilgang og dilemmaet mellem idealer og pragmatik, påvirket af Kosovos uafhængighedskrav, serbisk nationalisme, præsidentvalg og russisk støtte til serbiske positioner. Metodisk kombineres teoretiske rammer som Regional Security Complex Theory samt neoliberalisme og neorealisme med historisk kontekst om Balkan og Serbien, en gennemgang af EU’s udvidelsesproces og instrumenter samt en analyse af EU’s interesser og politikmuligheder over for Serbien. Afhandlingen diskuterer konsekvenserne af at fastholde streng betingethed versus at lempe krav for at modvirke serbisk orientering mod Rusland og fremme regional stabilitet. Konkrete konklusioner eller empiriske fund fremgår ikke af det medtagne uddrag.
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