This discussion paper by Benjamin Tallis, a senior researcher at the Institute of International Relations, seeks to examine competing evaluations of the current state and future prospects of the Czech-German Strategic Dialogue (CGSD). Partly the dialogue’s focus on the future is due to the ongoing nature of the work in the various working groups of the CGSD, which it is difficult or too soon to judge, but also because of the predominance of underlying and overarching issues that will continue to affect the success –or otherwise– of the dialogue regardless of the specific decisions made by the working groups and the eventual review of their work that will be conducted in 2017. Also in keeping with the terms of the project, the discussion paper does not provide a historical background to, nor a legal overview of the dialogue, but instead examines the current state of the dialogue and its future potential to serve and fulfil the common values and interests of the partners in both bilateral and regional terms.
The discussion paper also recognises that the focus on ‘strategy’ is not the sole concern in Czech-German relations and that the CGSD has had positive impacts on these relations in more general terms. However, given the very branding of this dialogue as ‘Strategic’, the dialogue must either be evaluated on these terms or will force a re-think what is considered strategic in and by the two countries.
For reading the full discussion paper, please visit the following link.