Foreign relations of the United Kingdom
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Template:Politicsboxend Image:Bush and Blair at Camp David a better one.jpg The United Kingdom is a major player in international politics, with interests throughout the world. The former British Empire, notably through its successor, the Commonwealth of Nations, links the UK with many of the world's nations in one way or another. The UK has also exported its parliamentary style government, legal and financial systems, and language throughout the world.
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Summary of UK relations specific countries and regions
United States of America
See main articles Anglo-American relations and special relationship.
The United Kingdom is a close military and political ally of the United States. The two countries share military research and intelligence facilities. The UK has purchased military technology from the USA such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and Trident nuclear missiles. The USA also maintains a large number of military personnel in the UK. In recent years, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States have often been close friends, for example Tony Blair and George W. Bush and in the 1980s the often like-minded Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
European Union
The UK has had good relations with most EU countries since the Second World War. It has been a member of the European Union since 1973. Although the UK is not a euro member, it still plays a leading role in the day to day workings of the EU. The UK has clashed with individual countries of the European Union, particularly with France and Germany, most recently over the US-led war with Iraq. The UK faces a critical juncture in its relations with the EU over the ratification of the new treaty establishing a constitution for Europe.
The United Kingdom's relationship with both the EU and the US are often strained, due to conflicting interests. The EU and the US do not see eye to eye on many issues. Some believe that the United Kingdom will increasingly turn away from the US, as it did with the Commonwealth. However the popularity of the EU is still very mixed among the British public, and the UK remains one of the few EU countries not to adopt the Euro. It is more likely for the moment that Britain will maintain equal relationships with both Europe and the United States.
Commonwealth of Nations
The UK has varied relationships with the countries that make up the Commonwealth of Nations which originated from the British Empire. The Queen is the head of the Commonwealth and is head of 16 of its 53 member states. Those that retain the Queen as head of state are called Commonwealth Realms. The European Union generally takes precedence over the Commonwealth, and the UK has tended to side with EU countries over Commonwealth countries in when disputes arise. For example, over French nuclear testing, the UK sided with France over Australia and New Zealand. Over time several countries have been suspended from the Commonwealth from various reasons. Zimbabwe was suspended because of the authoritarian rule of its President and so too was Pakistan but has since returned. Countries which become republics are still eligible for membership of the commonwealth so long as they are deemed democratic.
Republic of Ireland
The UK works closely with the government of the Republic of Ireland in areas concerning the peace process in Northern Ireland. Under the Ireland Act 1949 Irish citizens are treated as though they are Commonwealth citizens and not aliens for the purposes of law. Until 1998, the Republic of Ireland claimed Northern Ireland, but this was rescinded under the Belfast Agreement. There is an ongoing dispute that involves Denmark and Iceland, over the status of the ocean floor surrounding Rockall.
Germany
Since World War II the UK has enjoyed excellent relations with West Germany and its successor, the Federal Republic of Germany. Margaret Thatcher and Helmut Kohl were two leaders who had a particularly good relationship. The former German Democratic Republic, which governed East Germany until German Reunification, was a communist state with which the UK was naturally hostile towards during the Cold War. Germany and the UK are both members of the EU.
France
As with Germany the political position of both countires can be seen as very good, the British population engage in a lively and highly tongue-in-cheek relationship and friendly rivalry with France, stemming from hundreds of years of rivalry between the two countries and perhaps epitomised by The Sun newspaper's relentless bashing of French institutions and personalities.
Cyprus
The UK maintains two sovereign area military bases on the island of Cyprus. The UK is also a signatory to a treaty with Greece and Turkey concerning the independence of Cyprus.
Africa
The UK was once a dominant colonial power in many countries on the continent of Africa. Nowadays the UK as lead member of the Commonwealth of Nations seeks to influence Africa through its foreign policies. Current UK disputes are with Zimbabwe over alleged human rights violations. Tony Blair has set up the Africa Commission and urged countries to end Third World Debt.
General attitude of the people of the UK
As with all countries, there are sections of the UK populace who exhibit some level of criticism towards nationals of other countries, ranging from good-natured banter to more serious cases of xenophobia and racism. In particular, there is some resistance to integration with Europe in the form of the single currency (or 'Euro'), the channel tunnel, and the European Constitution. However, there is similar resistance in many other European nations; the UK is as a whole an extremely tolerant nation both of other cultures and the endless list of cultures within its shores. In addition, it also has very good relations with other nations. Ironically, some say that the UK's greatest ally, is no where to be found in Europe, but is in fact The United States; a former colony, that it has engaged in two wars with, and several times of political turmoil.
Major international disputes between the UK and foreign countries since 1945
- 1946 – territorial disputes with Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary, DDR, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and others.
- 1948-1949 – Berlin Blockade - dispute with USSR over access to West Berlin
- 1950-1953 – Korean War - war with China/North Korea
- 1951-1954 – Abadan Crisis - dispute with Iran over expropriated oil assets
- 1956-1957 – Suez Crisis - war with Egypt, and dispute with most of international community
- 1958 – First Cod War - fishing dispute with Iceland
- 1962-1966 – Konfrontasi - war with Indonesia
- 1972-1973 – Second Cod War - fishing dispute with Iceland
- 1975-1976 – Third Cod War - fishing dispute with Iceland
- 1980 – with Australia over nuclear testing by the United Kingdom in lands claimed by some Aboriginal groups to be sacred.
- 1982 – Falklands War - war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands
- 1983 – dispute with the United States over its invasion of the Commonwealth island of Grenada, of which Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is Queen
- 1984 – dispute with Libya after a policewoman is shot dead in London by a gunman from within the Libyan embassy.
- 1988 – further dispute with Libya over the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie
- 1991 – Gulf War with Iraq
- 1994 – dispute with the European Union, United States and Canada over the ban on exports of British meat products, UK withdraws co-operation with the EU organisation.
- 2001 – occupation of Afghanistan
- 2003 – occupation of Iraq, including disputes with Russia, France, and Germany
Sovereignty disputes
- Spain claims the Isthmus of Gibraltar.
- Argentina claims the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
- Mauritius claim the entire Chagos Archipelago in the British Indian Ocean Territory, including the island of Diego Garcia used as a joint UK/US military base since the 1950s when the inhabitants were forcibly removed, Blenheim Reef, Speakers Bank and all the other features.
- Dispute over territorial waters and continental shelf rights around Rockall.
- There is a territorial claim in Antarctica, the British Antarctic Territory, which overlaps with those of Chile and Argentina, though this is suspended due to the Antarctic Treaty.
Illicit drugs
The United Kingdom serves as a gateway country for much of the Latin American cocaine entering the European market, as a producer and major consumer of synthetic drugs, and synthetic pre-cursor chemicals, a major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, and as a significant money-laundering centre.