ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the activities of Ernst H. van Eeghen, businessman and citizen diplomat extraordinaire. It looks closely at the Burght Foundation that Van Eeghen created to pursue his international mission of East–West reconciliation. By analysing his activities in detail, it becomes possible to examine the role and relevance of a non-state actor in the context of Dutch–Soviet and Dutch–Russian relations. In doing so, this chapter questions the state-centric approach of the orthodox diplomatic history that has so far covered this bilateral relationship. The author shows that Van Eeghen considered himself perfectly justified in undertaking such an international role, and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went along with this. However, his relationship with Dutch diplomacy was not entirely smooth. Ministries are eager to make use of NGOs to achieve their goals, but are deeply suspicious of non-state actors that seek to go their own way regardless.
