Glaser Marina Alekseevna – Sc.D. in Philosophy, Professor, School of International Relations, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University «Higher School of Economics». Koroleva (Krasikova) Lolita Vitalevna – Research Assistant, Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University «Higher School of Economics». Korolev Alexander Sergeevich – Ph.D. in Political Sciences, Deputy Director, Leading Research-er, Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University «Higher School of Economics»; Associate Professor, School of International Relations, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University «Higher School of Economics».
The article considers a new model of behavior of small states in integration associ-ations on the example of the European Union (EU) and the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN). The authors analyze the policies of the Baltic coun-tries within the EU, as well as the policies of Myanmar, the most «problematic» ASEAN member state, and East Timor, a potential member of the Association. By the new model, the authors mean the strategy of «luring», which small states use to strengthen their political weight and negotiating positions in associations. Howev-er, in practice, one can also observe the opposite side of the «luring» strategy: small states, through their policies, generate challenges and threats to the function-ing of the association, forcing the other member states to adapt to new crises. The desire to participate in the integration process with larger and stronger players causes the Baltic states to use European values as a tool for «luring» mid-dle and big powers into the rut of anti-Russianism.This strategy is manifested in numerous initiatives aimed at destroying relations between the EU and Russia from the very beginning of Latvia’s, Lithuania’s and Estonia’s membership in the Euro-pean Union. As a result of the promotion of Russophobia to the pan-European level, the Baltic states gain not only political weight in the development and adop-tion of EU foreign policy decisions, but also the ability to control the EU from within through the formation of internal associations of Russophobic countries, in-cluding Poland and others. In ASEAN, Myanmar is currently the main «irritant» and, at the same time, a disruptor in the balance of power. The acute humanitarian crisis coupled with the difficult socio-political situation in the country after the military came to power has significantly destabilized integration processes in ASEAN, formed a threat to socie-tal security in Southeast Asia (SEA) and highlighted the Association’s inability to effectively respond to internal crises. The potential accession of East Timor into ASEANis a subject of disagreement among the members of the Association and, under current conditions, could deepen the disintegration processes in ASEAN.
small powers, «luring», integration, values, political crisis, EU, ASEAN, Baltic countries, Hungary, Myanmar, East Timor.
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