International studies, Vol. XI No. 1, 2011.
Review article
Southeast Europe at the crossroads of various interests of big powers
Jadranka Polović
; University Department of Professional Studies, Split, Croatia
Abstract
Term Southeast Europe, as a political construct created after the Cold war, includes less geographic characteristics of the region, and significantly more of its cultural, religious and especially political determinant. Specifically, the term refers to a number of countries in the area of the Balkan peninsula, passing through the comprehensive process of transition, civilizing and standardizing the criteria and geopolitical interests of the United States and the European Uni on, with a view to their integration into NATO and EU. Geopolitical and strategic importance of the region as the intersection of energy routes between Western Europe and the energy-rich areas of Central Asia and the Caspian basin, is visibly growing. The article discusses the geopolitical, geostrategic
and geo-economic aspects of the region in the context of "big game"or the strong competition of the United States, European Union and Russia for more widespread access to energy resources in the Caspian basin and Central Asia, as well as for control of their transportation through the Southeast Europe.
Keywords
Southeast Europe; the global geostrategy; energy security; NATO and EU enlargement; the rivalry of great powers; the United States; European Union; Russia
Hrčak ID:
291601
URI
Publication date:
31.5.2011.
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