ABSTRACT
The general public, as well as policymakers and scholars, frequently sees a close correlation between East-West economic relations and political relations. The preceding contributions provide a fairly comprehensive assessment of the state of East-West economic relations during the first half of the 1980s. Trade relations undoubtedly represent the most significant aspect of these overall economic relations. Dr. Bethkenhagen is quite justified in devoting a large part of his article to describing the economic significance of East-West trade. The other contributions deal with more specific aspects of East-West economic relations. The last contribution by Dr. Bolz examines industrial cooperation as a special form of East-West economic relations. In the West the situation is different. In overall economic terms exports to Eastern Europe are of little importance. The limited significance of East-West economic relations for national economies on both sides makes it seem doubtful from the outset that they are of fundamental significance for the political process of detente.
