The Evolution of the International System
The Evolution of the International System

Summary/Abstract: When we consider the major trends in the international system since the September 11 attacks, we cannot escape the impression that the international conjuncture which started to be formed at that point in time is slowly coming to fruition. Its basic components are the United States and Europe. US-European relations which suffered at the beginning of the Iraq crisis later on improved and have taken a new dimension within the NATO-EU cooperation. Of the other two big powers the Russian Federation is recovering its lost stature mainly with the support of its oil and gas resources, China has been on the rise The focus of world attention is on the Middle East There Iraq is the main issue. Together with it goes the Palestinian-Israeli problem. These problems and their ramifications, be it religion, ethnicity, oil or struggle for power stretch as far as Afghanistan. There is nothing in this picture that resembles a Bi-polar or Multi-polar World. It is a Uni-polar World: the United States is the dominant power.1 Still it needs Europe. Europe in the last fifty years has come a long way. But it has to make another leap forward to face the challenges of the World together with the US and be a global power. One of the challenges is coming from within Europe. The Western Balkans can be seen to contain a ticking bomb: Kosovo. The other force they have to come to terms is in a distant place but is fast approaching: China. In this paper these two issues will be handled to see to what extend they may influence the development of the international system. Between these two regions lies a vast area from which the world energy needs are supplied. So, energy will be third issue of major concern to the international system.

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