Does the 'Special Relationship' Have a Role to Play in Future EU-US Relations

摘要

As the European Union (EU) gathers momentum, an equitable and credible partner to the United States will shortly exist with the potential to share the burden of today's global challenges. However, despite the Solana Paper's statement that this trans-Atlantic relationship is one of the core elements of the international system, with the numerous trade and foreign policy conflicts that exist between the two powers, the relationship has effectively floundered. There is a growing sense in the United States that the EU is becoming increasingly antagonistic towards it and all it stands for. With polarized political views between unilateralism and lateralism at the core of the animosity, an intermediary is required to calm the Atlantic waters and foster an atmosphere of collective opportunity. In the past, this role has often fallen to the United Kingdom (UK), and with the linguistic, cultural and historical ties between the UK and United States, there is still no country better positioned to perform this function. This paper first examines the trans- Atlantic relationship from the EU perspective, and then through an American lens with a view to establishing why the United States should change its current outlook. No attempt will be made to explore relational issues before the Balkans Crises of the 1990s. Then, the 2006 Munich Conference on Security Policy will be briefly evaluated to clarify the current state of affairs between the two powers. This analysis will provide the background for the main section of the paper that will outline the UK's role in the EU-U.S. relationship, primarily with the United States, but also as a member of the EU, dating back to the 1970s. This section explores whether successful political relationships by British leaders have translated into actual influence and at what cost. Then an assessment will be made of how the UK can continue to influence the other two powers, to what effect, or indeed whether it is in its continued interest to do so.