Atlantic loyalty, European autonomy. Belgium and the Atlantic Alliance, 1949-2009

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From the ashes of World War 2 Belgium emerged as a convinced supporter of Western European defence arrangements under British leadership. Only in 1947 did Belgium discover a privileged partner in the United States. When the Cold War ended, Belgium returned to its roots, trying to combine European primacy and autonomy with Atlantic loyalty.

Rik Coolsaet (Egmont Paper)