Summit diplomacy in global affairs. (c1998)

Abstract

This study will try to show the importance of summit diplomacy and the effectiveness of the G7 summits, by analyzing the issues these summits have dealt with. It will try to examine the validity of each of the liberal point of view and the realist point of view as related to summit meetings. The choice of the Group of Seven summit diplomacy was mainly due to the importance of this Group which gathered the seven highest industrialized states, namely, the United States, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Japan. This Group which had as a primary reason for its establishment the stabilization of the international monetary system, had dealt mainly with economic issues. The issues chosen to be studied in this thesis were: the management of the international monetary system, the liberalization of trade and the problem of unemployment. But with the serious changes that took place in the international scene other important political issues became of concern to this Group and were put on the agenda of its summits. The most important political issues that were examined in this thesis were: international terrorism, arms control, the conflict in the Middle East, the crisis in Bosnia, the help for Russia and the protection of the environment. The thesis argues that the G7 was effective in many areas that needed cooperation among its members. This emphasis on cooperation and coordination with international organizations lead to a conclusion that the liberal analysis fits better the case of the Group of Seven summit diplomacy.