西欧形势及其发展趋向

Situation in Western Europe and Its Development Trends

１９９８年西欧形势发生了一系列引人注目的变化：政治上，西欧主要国家进一步左转，社会民主思潮已逐渐成为欧洲政坛的主流；经济上，西欧各国保持了较好的增长势头，欧洲经济与货币联盟按部就班地在１９９９年１月正式启动；外交上，欧盟亦频频出击，努力扩展欧盟在全球...

Abstract In 1998 the changes in Western Europe attracted worldwide attention. With the close of the curtain of the German election, West European political situation tilts further to the left with eleven out of fifteen EU members governed by central-left parties. The Third Way theory prevails in many countries in Europe and draws extensive attention from the media. The economy maintains comparatively high growth momentum. The preparation of the circulation of the Euro was successfully completed. Remarkable progress has been made in common diplomacy and security policy, strengthening its position as a pole in the multi-polar world system.Great disturbance will not occur in the political situation in Western Europe in 1999. Stability, reform and development will constitute the general development trend. The central-left political parties will continue to maintain its dominant position in the West European politics. Although economic growth will keep going, it will be lower than the previous year. The year of 1999 is the formal start of the Euro. Given the previous preparation work, a stable Euro can be ensured after its launching. With the acceleration of the European integration, the EU will speed up its internal mechanism reforms in the new year. The targets of its foreign strategy are as follows: to continue to deepen economic integration so as to promote political integration among its member countries, to gradually realize common diplomacy and security policy, to strive for a true independent pole in political, economic and defense field.