ABSTRACT

Since the end of WWII, Atlanticism has always been one of the lodestars of Italy’s foreign policy. Although the country’s relations with the U.S. have never been disputed, its degree of autonomy from the Transatlantic partnership has changed over the years. This article delves into such changes starting from a counter-intuitive analytical framework based on the neo-realist theory of International Relations. Such perspective can help explain Italy’s unexpected autonomy in certain periods of the cold war. Accordingly, the article re-examines two historical events: Italy’s elusive conduct during the negotiations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Achille Lauro/Sigonella crisis in 1985.

摘要

自二战结束以来，大西洋主义一直是意大利外交政策的主角之一。尽管该国与美国的关系从未有过争议，但多年来，它对跨大西洋伙伴关系的自主程度发生了变化。本文从基于新现实主义国际关系理论的反直觉分析框架出发，深入探讨此类变化。这种观点有助于解释意大利在冷战某些时期意外的自治。因此，文章重新审视了两个历史事件：意大利在《不扩散条约》（NPT）谈判期间的难以捉摸的行为和 1985 年的 Achille Lauro/Sigonella 危机。