Foreign Policy

Question 1

Britain was in a strong world position by 1990. How far do you agree?

Answer 1

Evidence to agree:
- Maastrichts treaty
- ERM
- Thatcher’s role in ending the Cold War
- Falklands’s War
- Thatcher negotiated a rebate
- Showed Britain wouldn’t be a passive member of EEC/EU

Evidence to disagree:
- Deep recession after Lawson Boom
- Cold War wouldn’t of ended without Thatcher
- Defense budget decreased
- Agreed to hand back Hong Kong
- UK not consulted in invasion of Grenda

Overall:
- Slowed down decline of world power.

Question 2

What were the aims of the Maastricht Treaty?

Answer 2

• To modernise the EU’s structure and to deepen Europe integration
• To create an even closer union among the people of Europe
• Main aims: Full integration, common European defence and foreign policy, European central bank, Single European Currency

Question 3

What opt outs did Major negotiate?

Answer 3

• Opt outs from single currency and the social chapter

Question 4

What were Eurosceptics afraid of?

Answer 4

Loss of sovereignty it entailed

Question 5

How did Major manage to get the Maastricht Treaty through?

Answer 5

• Introduced bill to accept Maastrichts as part as formal vote of confidence in the government (would’ve brought government down)

Question 6

How did Major further upset Eurosceptics?

Answer 6

Quote leaked and became headline news

Question 7

How was the Maastricht Treaty politically damaging to Major?

Answer 7

Embarrassment to Major and showed he was too weak to act decisively

Question 8

Causes of the Balkans War

Answer 8

• As the Cold War ended, Yugoslavia President, Milosevic who was communist before, became a serb nationalist and threatened violence against the Albanian population in Kosovo.
• 1991, Northern parts of Yugoslavia, Slovenia declared independence and Yugoslavia began to break up, violent clashes between two largest republics, Serbia and Croatia culminated in a war and atrocities.
• Both EU and UN tried diplomatic efforts for peace but failed - British Foreign Secretary Hurd, was optimistic international meditation would be successful but was wrong - violence continued
• Yugoslavia broke up into independent countries with many different ethnic groups split.
• EU developed with a common defense strategy so when war began between Serbia and Croatia, the EU had to intervene - war broke out

Question 9

Events of Balkans War

Answer 9

• 1992 - war began in Bosnia.
• Muslim population of eastern driven out by Bosnia.
• ‘Ethnic cleansing by Bosnia-Serbs, supported by Milosevic.
• August 1992, Major hosted a joint EU and UN conference in London and a UN peace keeping force was put in place.
• October 1992, Vance-Owen plan set out a framework for a lasting settlement.
• At time Major was praised for efforts but there wasn’t enough pressure from Europe on the warring parties to guarantee peace - US didn’t want to intervene in a ‘European problem’
• Aggression continued and war took place for another 3 years with Sarajevo being under constant seige.
• UK turned to NATO - British forces ineffective - 7000 massacred in Srebrenica.

Question 10

Consequences for the Balkans

Answer 10

Dayton Peace Agreement led to Bosnian Independence with UN protection

Question 11

Consequences for the Cold War

Answer 11

Ended with bitter and brutal tensions in Balkans

Question 12

Consequences for the US / UK relations

Answer 12

Britain didn’t have same influence internationally as USA showed special relationship as Major asked for help from US.

Question 13

Consequences for Major

Answer 13

Showed skills of diplomacy in Foreign Policy

Question 14

When was the Balkans War

Answer 14

1992-1995