The United States and Western Europe: Cooperation and Conflict: Past, Present and Future (NS 105)

April 9-12, 1997
Sanner Hotel, Gran, Norway
Organizer: The Norwegian Nobel Institute through its Director, Professor Geir Lundestad.

The symposium was opened by Professor Francis Sejersted, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and by Professor Lundestad. Hans-Dietrich Genscher, former foreign minister of Germany, delivered the opening lecture, "The transtlantic Partnership."

The symposium's historical analysis of the relationship between the United States and Western Europe was based on lectures by Frank Costigliola (University of Rhode Island), Alan Dobson (University of Wales, Swansea), Klaus Schwabe (Technical University of Aachen), Jussi Hanhimäki (London School of Economics) and Pierre Melandi (Sorbonne, Paris). The analysis of today's situation was based on lectures by David Calleo (Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C.), Alex Danchev (Keele University) and Werner Link (University of Cologne). The discussion on possible future developments in the relationship between the United States and Western Europe began with a provocative lecture by John J. Mearsheimer (University of Chicago) and a commentary by Nikolaj Petersen (University of Århus). Final summarizing commentaries were provided by Alan Milward (London School of Economics) and Geir Lundestad.

The symposium drew 26 participants from 10 countries. The lectures from the symposium were published by Macmillan in London during the summer of 1998.

The symposium did not arrive at any unequivocal conclusions that all participants could agree to. Nor was this the aim. On the contrary, its aim was to provide a broad presentation of different views about how the relationship between the United States and Western Europe looked in the past, how it looks today and how it may conceivably develop in the future.

The thrust of the discussion was clear, however: Whereas until today, historians and political scientists have focused strongly on the tensions and crises in trans-Atlantic ties, the time has come to underscore how durable and deep these ties have been since World War II. Few, if any, alliances in history can thus show such stability as NATO has done since its founding in 1949. The Soviet threat was probably the most important single factor behind NATO's success, but other important factors included relations with Germany, the need for an American role in Europe and cultural and economic ties. Because of these factors, NATO will probablu remain a key organization despite the disappearance of the Soviet Union.

Programme
April 9 - Wednesday
5.00 p.m.-5.30 p.m.	Opening statements Francis Sejersted, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee
	Geir Lundestad, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute
5.30 p.m.	The United States and Western Europe Introduction by Former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher "The Transatlantic Partnership" Questions and Comments
April 10 - Thursday
9.00 a.m.-12.30 p.m.	Frank Costigliola, "Culture, emotionality, and the Western Alliance" Allan Dobson, "The USA, Britain and the Question of Hegemony" Discussion
2.00 p.m.-4.30 p.m.	Pierre Melandri, "The Troubled Friendship" Klaus Schwabe, "Atlantic Partnership and European Integration: American- European Policies and the German Problem, 1947-1966" Jussi Hanhimåki, "Security and Identity: Scandinavia and the United States since 1945" Discussion
April 11 - Friday
9.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m.	David Calleo, "Western Transformation after the Cold War" Alex Danchev, "On Friendship: Anglo-American Relations at the Fin de Siècle" Werner Link, "The United States and Western Europe-Dimensions of Cooperation and Competition Discussion
3.00 - 5.30 p.m.	John J. Mearsheimer, "The Future of America's Continental Commitment Discussant: Nikolaj Petersen Discussion
April - Saturday
9.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.	Geir Lundestad, "The United States and Western Europea: Cooperation and Confict: Past, Present, and Future" Alan Milward, "Comment on the Symposium" Discussion Summing Up

Participants
Prof. Kathleen Burk University College London U K	Prof. John Mearsheimar University of Chicago U S A
Prof. David Calleo Johns Hopkins University U S A	Prof. Pierre Melandri Paris, France
Prof. Alexander Chubarian Institute of Universal History, Russia	Prof. Alan S. /ssi/headers/pe.html London School of Economics, U K
Prof. Frank Costigliola University of Rhode Island U S A	Dr. Olav Njølstad Institutt for Forsvarstudier Norway
Prof. Alex Danchev Keele University U K	Prof. Nikolaj Petersen Aarhus University Denmark
Dr. Alan Dobson University of Wales Swansea, U K	Prof. Helge Pharo Oslo, Norway
Dr. Hans Otto Frøland Universitetet i Trondheim Norway	Prof. Klaus Schwabe Historisches Institut Aachen, Germany
Dr. Hans-Dietrich Genscher Deutsches Bundestag Germany	Prof. Thomas Alan Schwartz Vanderbilt University U S A
Dr. Jussi M. Hanhimåki The London School of Economics and Political Science, U K	Prof. Francis Sejersted Norwegian Nobel Committee, Oslo Norway
Dr. Wolfram Kaiser Vienna, Austria	Prof. Rolf Tamnes Oslo, Norway
Prof. Warren Kimball Rutgers University Newark U S A	Dr. Odd Arne Westad Nobelsintituttet Oslo, Norway
Frode Liland Jessheim, Norway	Dr. Pascaline Winand Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Prof. Werner Link Koln, Germany	Staff: Sigfrid Langebrekke Inger Guri Fløgstad
Prof. Geir Lundestad Norwegian Nobel Institute, Norway