Small States Foreign Policy: the Case of Kosovo

Year 2012, Volume: 11 Issue: 3, 79 - 97, 01.06.2012

Alfred Marleku

Abstract

Enormous changes have occurred in international system in the last twenty years. As a result, the number of Small States in international system has grown rapidly. These processes have had strong and noticeable impact in the foreign policy of all states, particularly in the foreign policy of small states. This paper examines Kosovo's foreign policy behavior as an independent state. By conducting an in depth analysis in this case study, paper attempts to clarify which are the main dominant sources that influence more the Kosovo's foreign policy behavior. Foreign policy of Kosovo as a small state was characterized by two main behaviors: tendency to secure multinational agreements and join multinational institutions and the tendency to rely on larger states, especially on USA, in order to ensure protection, partnership and resources. The main variables which have proved to have significant impact in Kosovo's foreign policy behavior are systemic variables: a category which is based mainly in nonhuman aspects of a society's external environment or in any kind of action occurring abroad and influencing the choices made by officials.

Keywords

Small states, interdependence, foreign policy behavior, Kosovo, multinational institutions