THE BALTICS IN INTERNATIONAL-POLITICS - M ODELS AND COOPERATION PATTERNS

The article asks which are the orientations of the Baltic elites towar ds other countries during the first years of independence. Elite attit udes are expressing priorities about formations of regions. They are i mportant because they are both defining the focus of the political dis course and influencing the political agenda. While actual regionalisat ion in terms of institutions and inter-state cooperation is rather mod est and simple to grasp, elite preferences show a quite ambitious but also complicated pattern. The orientations vary along two main dimensi ons: which political and economical systems the elites want to copy; a nd which country they want to cooperate with. Germany seems to be very central on both dimensions, while the USA is wanted more as a partner country than a model for Baltic development. Somewhat surprising Russ ia is in the same category. The Scandinavian countries seem to be less attractive than expected. The patterns revealed may be explained by f actors such as historical experiences, geography, culture and the secu rity need of small states.