The federal republic of Germany's foreign policy towards the Mediterranean : case study : the union for the Mediterranean

Abstract

This thesis revolves around the foreign policy of the Federal Republic of Germany with regard to the Mediterranean Sea. As expounded in the Introduction, the study carried out also includes a case study on Germany's involvement in the Union for the Mediterranean. In Chapter I emphasis is made on the politics of the Mediterranean through time. The Mediterranean has served as the cradle of civilizations and has shaped the history of the States and the inhabitants that have flourished alongside its shores. Being at the centre of activity, progress and conflict, it has always been considered as a sea of strategic importance, receiving political attention from the littoral states and beyond. Chapter II speaks about Germany's involvement in the Mediterranean after the end of the Cold War. As a major player within the EU, Germany has made European integration the centrepiece of its foreign policy. Whilst ensuring membership for its immediate neighbours to the East, Germany has also been one of the prime instigators for the initiation of the Euro-Med Partnership. The crux of Chapter III is Germany's stem opposition to an exclusive Club Med proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy of France. In the end, Germany managed to tum round the proposal into a Union for the Mediterranean where all EU member states participate together with the Mediterranean states. However, this project-oriented Union has been slow-moving and its goals cannot be attained without the active contribution of all the participants.