euro|topics - Rob de Wijk

06/01/2009

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de Wijk, Rob

3 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.

Trouw - Netherlands | 14/11/2008

The herald of a new world order

Representatives of the world's most important industrialised and emerging states (G20) are to meet on Saturday for a financial summit in Washington. According to the daily Trouw the meeting ushers in a new world order in which non-Western countries like China will play a greater role: "The G20 seems more a reflection of the new economic and political balance of power in the world than an enlarged G8. Important, too, is that unlike the G8 it is not an exclusive Western club. ... Too often we forget that the entire world order is a Western creation. International law, institutions like the UN, the WHO and the OECD as well as the majority of international treaties are Western initiatives that according to non-Western countries do not always serve their interests. The financial crisis offers these countries a golden opportunity to reform the current world order. And this will be to the detriment of us, the Western states. It will lead to new tensions between states. But new dependencies can also have a stabilising effect. ... The upcoming G20 Summit could be the herald of a new inter-polar world."

Trouw - Netherlands | 03/08/2007

What role should the Dutch army fullfil ?

"The decision of the [Dutch] Minister of Defence Eimart Van Middelkoop [Centre-left] not to arm navy warships with cruise missiles illustrates the debate in the Netherlands around the armed forces", considers editorialist Rob de Wijk. "His predecessor, Henk Camp [liberal], wanted to turn the Dutch armed forces into a first division team. In general, right-wing politicians want the armed forces to not only participate in peacekeeping missions, but also wage war. Left-wing politicians see the army more as a peacekeeping force that should engage in relatively low-risk activities. ... This debate remains a typically Dutch discussion in keeping with our tradition of neutrality and marks a traditional aversion in our foreign policy for military power."

Trouw - Netherlands | 24/03/2006

Two distinct diplomatic approaches

"Bush's war strategy underscores the fact that Europe and America's concepts of war are in fundamental opposition," explains editorial writer Rob de Wijk. "We Europeans see international problems differently. We stress diplomacy, offering rewards and support for those who behave well. We try to coax and appease. And if necessary, we negotiate an agreement and dispatch our troops to keep the peace. This clearly differs from the coercive diplomacy favoured by America, in which military power plays the key role."

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