Six dialogues en quête d'auteur

Abstract

Six dialogues in search of an author, by Albert Bressand The Third World countries face a fundamental choice, between a strategy of "catching up" with the West, passing probably through an increased interdependance, and a strategy of "decoupling" or "collective autonomy". For the author, the dialogue on the new order appears as a manifestation of first approach but in a language much nearer the second, hence a considerable confusion in the North-South dialogue, accentuated further still by the essentially political character of the context in which the economic problems of development are tackled. To this ideological confusion comes a hesitation on the part of Western countries whose attitude is fundamentally more defensive than constructive. The long-term importance of the stakes, and in particular the necessity of integrating into the world concert the new powers who to-day are trying to assert themselves by the South-South dialogue, would require, however, a much firmer and more open attitude on the part of the Western powers. The transitory character of the present period makes it inevitable to hold a dialogue at two levels, led by the political organisations of UN, on the one hand, and more specialised organisations, such as the IMF, the World Bank and GATT, on the other. If it gives itself the means, France can play a very special role in the effort to organise new international relations.