The merger of the two German states brings together countries with divergent economic systems, different trade orientations and a rift in terms of wealth. Transforming the East German system into a social market economy raises enormous internal and external adjustment problems in a period in...

Parallel to the economic growth and the increase of the living standards in the Eastern bloc the import requirements of its member countries are rising, too. For this reason all Western industrial nations make increasing efforts to establish themselves in these markets with good future prospects...

A few months ago, Dr Eppler took over the ministry responsible for German development aid. The new minister considers development aid an important instrument for the international détente, which is to facilitate cooperation between peoples and which, in the long run, will guarantee world peace....