Republic of Macedonia Foreign Policy: Diplomacy in the Middle of the Balkans

This book deals with the foreign policy of the Republic of Macedonia, from the period of the dissolution of Yugoslavia to the present moment (2012). It makes a connection between the dissolution process of Yugoslavia and the creation of the Macedonian independent state and its foreign policy. On one hand, this research is a positive step in overcoming the current lack of literature in this field, especially in the English language, and, on the other hand, by combining the three factors of the subject of study (the policy of the EU and the US towards Macedonia during the period of the Yugoslav crisis, Macedonia’s independence and its foreign policy priorities, and the specific challenges faced by Macedonian foreign policy) this research brings together all relevant elements of the policy in a single place, something that has not been the case in earlier studies. The analysis of all these factors is necessary in order to present a complete picture of the conditions which impacted and shaped Macedonian foreign policy during this time. Keywords: Foreign policy, Yugoslavia, EU, US, Macedonia, Independence, Security dilemmas, UN, Recognition, Relations, Minorities, Integration, Diplomacy, Accession, Western Balkans, Yugoslav wars, Sovereignty, Foreign affairs.