Current Political Trends in International Relations

Introduction

•When a period of detente was round the corner between the then ex-USSR and United States of America through arms control and denuclearization, Michael Gorvachov politically came to power;

•To right track the descending Soviet economy and politics, he proposed a policy of Perestroika( Reconstruction) and Glasnost( Openness);

•It could not stop the descending pace of Soviet Socialism and finally Soviet Union was dismantled;

•Not only this, the communism/socialism  began to fall down in the countries of Eastern Europe i.e. East Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Albania, Rumania and Czechoslovakia;

•Cold war vanished   accidentally and power vacuum emerged; and

•The world headed towards uni polarity i.e USA.

Disintegration of Soviet Union

•In 1991, former Soviet Union was fragmented into 15 independent states i.e. Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia,  Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan,  Armenia, etc;

•These countries are suffered from ethnic conflicts, economic crisis and border issues;

•Disintegration of Soviet Union has created power vacuum in global politics. It has more influenced the mobility of third world countries; and

•It has paved ground for uni polarity.

Fall of Socialism in Eastern Europe

•Before end of Second World War,  some countries in Eastern Europe i.e. East Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Albania, Romania and Czechoslovakia were transformed into socialism;

•These countries were allied  power for Soviet Union and in favor of Warsaw  Pact;

• Before 1990s, the socialism fell down like the building of cards in the countries aforesaid; and

•These days most of the countries have been member of NATO.

End of Cold War

•In and around 1990, the disintegration

of Soviet Union and socialism in Eastern Europe created power vacuum in world politics;

•Warsaw Pact and COMECON were dissolved; and

•The world age of ideological struggle was collapsed.

Militarily Unipolar World

•Along with dissolution of  ex-USSR, not only the ideological conflict was ended, but also the military power of Soviet Union was collapsed;

•Presently Russia which accepts    the legacy of Soviet Union cannot tackle with America in all domains;

•A uni polarity has created power vacuum on the one hand and has increased hegemony of America in international politics and relations; and

•The military attacks under the command of NATO  in Iraq and former Yugoslavia has overshadowed the United Nations Organizations.

Politically Multipolar World

•The present world is becoming multipolar economically and politically.  However, it is still unipolar militarily;

•Germany, France and Japan have been emerged as powers economically;

•China is assumed as emerging super power; and

•The world is moving towards development of multi-centers.

Expansion of Atomic Club

•Prior to 1998, only five permanent members of United Nations Organization( America, Russia, France, UK and China) were recognized as nuclear  powers;

•This monopoly was challenged by India and Pakistan having made nuclear tests in May 1998 one after another. Thus the expansion of atomic club has been increased;

•On the initiation  of United Nations Organizations, the ‘Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty’(CTBT) has been prepared to ban nuclear tests; and

•Most of the atomic powers have signed CTBT but are quite reluctant to ratify pretending either this or that.

Emergence of Regional Organizations

•In the beginning, the regional organizations were inculcated following the theme of military. For instance, Warsaw Pact, NATO, etc. are enough to be conceptualized on emerging trend of regional organizations;

•The regional organizations of social, economic and trade themes   had started emerging  after the European Economic Community established in 1957;

•European Union, Arab League, SAARC, BIMSTEC, ASEAN, etc. ;

• BIMSTEC(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral  Technical and Economic Cooperation) consists of seven countries from both South Asia and South East Asia. Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka from South Asia and Thailand and Myanmar from South East Asia; and

•The grand success of European Union  has made those surprised who had dreamed the world government in the field of international organizations.

Establishment of Autonomous Palestine State

•Palestinians were stateless since 1948 and started dwelling in a scattered form in Arab world;

•Since the decades of sixties, they joined organized struggle through ‘Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO);

•To receive the attention of world to their issue of ‘Permanent National Home, they resorted to terrorist activities;

•There has been achievement towards establishment of peace  and Palestinian State in the middle –east  due to efforts by Arab countries and mediation by America;

•At present, Israel and Palestine have recognized their existence one another and autonomous Palestinian  state has been established incorporating Gaza and other territories; and

•This has  crated an enabling environment towards permanent  peace for Israel and fulfilling aspirations of Palestinians for building their Permanent National home.

Reinventing Sovereignty

•In the past, internal affairs of the state were not intervened/interfered by international administration. Having codified such fact, the Charter of United Nations Organization had adhered to the commitment not to interfere internal affairs of the state.  Even the theory of non-interference  was acknowledged for  a long time;

• From 1990 onwards, when the conflicts arisen within states  remained adverse to international peace and order, the compulsion arrived to think of the sovereignty;

•These days, human rights and democracy are such universally accepted values . Efforts to be made by international organizations towards restoration of these commonly liked values  are not considered as intervention;

•In the context of ethnic annihilation  happening in the territorial geography of states,  the United Nations Organization can not stand being treated it as an internal affairs of them;

•Presently the concept of ‘Humanitarian Intervention’ has been developed and assimilated.  The United Nations organization is perceived for protection and promotion of human dignity, but not for the dignity of Nations.  It is evident that the beginning of  the preamble of UNO begins with ‘We the people of the United Nations’; and

•Preamble of UN Charter

We the people of the United Nations determined;

     •To save succeeding generation from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has            brought untold sorrow to mankind; and

    •To reaffirm faith in international human rights, in the dignity and worth of human person,         in the equal right of men and women and of the nations large and small; and

    • To establish conditions  under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from          treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained; and

    •To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

Expansion of the Role of United Nations

•In the twenty-first century, time has come to shift.  In the early days, the motto of peace was enough to define roles of the UN;

•There are many stages of peace i.e. facilitating for peace, establishment of peace and peace building. All these roles are performed by United Nations Organization;

•The United Nations Organization is subject to address several sectors pertaining to social, economic, cultural, health, humanitarian, etc.; and

•It is has been key actor towards poverty reduction, natural disaster, environmental protection and conflict transformation.

Demand for Restructuring of the United Nations

•As United Nations reflects the power relations in 1945, the demand for restructuring of the very organization is becoming more debatable in global politics;

•The then Secretary General of United Nations Kofi Annan had floated a proposal for restructuring of United Nations. In line with the proposal, Human Rights Council and Peace Building Commission as sub-ordinate organs of General Assembly were established;

•The issue of expansion of Security Council is yet to materialized  due to hidden interests of powerful nations;

                           Main Organs of United Nations

•The General Assembly:  The main deliberative organ of UN.  192 countries are member states.

•The Security Council- Decides certain resolutions for peace and security. P 5-China, USA, UK, France and Russia. 10 temporary members elected by GA for 2 years’  term.

•The Economic and Social Council- assists in promoting internal economic and social cooperation and development. The size of the members is 54 elected by GA for 3 years’ term.  Geographical areas- Asia(11), Africa(14), Latin America and Carrabin(10), East Europe(6) and West Europe(13).

•The Secretariat- provides studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN.

•The International Court of Justice- The primarily judicial organ.  15 judges( proportional basis) 9 yrs renewable term, 5 judges retiring every 5 yrs.