Упрощенная HTML-версия
Author : S. Gavrilova
Research fellow, Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies and International Security, Institute of Contemporary
International Studies, Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation,
Candidate of Science (History)
THE PROCESS of international detente in the latter
half of the twentieth century, which included such im-
portant events as the signing of the Final Act of the
Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
(CSCE), the establishment of political and economic re-
lations between some Western and Eastern countries,
and negotiations on disarmament and nuclear security,
largely determined the further course of world history.
The French Republic was among the major actors par-
ticipating in the aforementioned events. A new monograph by EA. Osipov, France and the Evo-
lution of Detente (1965-1975), focuses on France's role in the process of easing international
tensions.
Chronologically, the monograph covers the period from 1965 to 1975 - the second presidential
term of Charles de Gaulles and the presidency of Georges Pompidou. The author emphasizes
the key role of General de Gaulle in France's modern history, indicating that the ideas of
Gaullism prevailed in the conception of the country's foreign policy for many years to come.
Osipov notes that the change of the country's leader did not bring about any substantial shifts
in the foreign policy course, although under Georges Pompidou special emphasis was laid on
the detente's economic dimension. Among a broad range of issues analyzed in this research,
particular attention is paid to bilateral contacts of the French Republic with the U.S.A., the USSR,
the People's Republic of China, and the FRG, and a number of multilateral aspects of interna-
tional relations, including the issue of Berlin, the problems of disarmament and nuclear security,
economic cooperation, and the preparation for and the overall results of the CSCE.
The monograph also deals with the specifics of the French-American economic cooperation,
including in reforming the international monetary system, and also contains a profound analysis
of the world economy during the period of detente. According to the author, an obvious failure
of negotiations in the follow-up to the Azores summit and the signing of the Smithsonian Agree-
ment became the determining factors in adjusting the economic policy priorities under Georges
Pompidou in favor of the European Economic Community in order to oppose American pres-
sure.
The author pays special attention to French-Soviet contacts, characterizing them as a main factor
in the relaxation of international tensions.
The monograph dwells on the main stages in the development of French-Soviet ties, the proce-
dures for signing bilateral documents and their content, appraises multiple official visits at dif-
Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
The Fifth Republic and Détente