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The diplomatic foreign relations of the United Kingdom are implemented by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Prime Minister and numerous other agencies play a role in setting policy, and many institutions and businesses have a voice and a role. Great Britain was the world's foremost power during the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Until the Suez crisis of 1956, the country was considered a 'superpower'. After 1956 however, with the loss of the empire, its dominant role in global affairs was gradually diminished. Nevertheless, the United Kingdom remains a major power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a Member state of the European Union, and a founding member of the G7, G8, G20, NATO, OECD, WTO, Council of Europe, OSCE, and the Commonwealth of Nations, which is a legacy of the British Empire. ==History== British foreign relations since 1600 have focused on achieving a balance of power, with no country controlling the continent of Europe. The chief enemy, from the Hundred Years' War until the defeat of Napoleon (1337-1815) was France, a larger country with a more powerful army. The British were generally successful in their many wars, with the notable exception of the American War of Independence (1775–1783), when Britain, without any major allies, was defeated by the colonials who had the support of France, the Netherlands and Spain. A favoured diplomatic strategy was subsidising the armies of continental allies, such as Prussia, thereby turning London's enormous financial power to military advantage. Britain relied heavily on its Royal Navy for security, seeking to keep it the most powerful fleet afloat with a full complement of bases across the globe. Historians agree that Lord Salisbury as foreign minister and prime minister in the late 19th century was a strong and effective leader in foreign affairs. He had a superb grasp of the issues, and proved: :a patient, pragmatic practitioner, with a keen understanding of Britain's historic interests....He oversaw the partition of Africa, the emergence of Germany and the United States as imperial powers, and the transfer of British attention from the Dardanelles to Suez without provoking a serious confrontation of the great powers.〔Nancy W. Ellenberger, "Salisbury" in David Loades, ed. ''Reader's Guide to British History'' (2003) 2:1154〕 The British built up a very large worldwide British Empire, which peaked in size in the 1920-40 era and in wealth around 1900, then began to shrink until by the 1970s almost nothing was left but a "Commonwealth of Nations" that had little to do.〔Lawrence James, ''The Rise and Fall of the British Empire'' (2001)〕 Britain finally turned its attention to the continent, joining the European Union.〔Stephen Wall, ''A Stranger in Europe: Britain and the EU from Thatcher to Blair'' (2008)〕 After 1900 Britain ended its "splendid isolation" by developing friendly relations with the United States and Japan (1902). Even more important—by forming the Triple Entente with France (1904) and Russia (1907), thus forging the anti-German alliance that fought the First World War (1914-1918). The "Special Relationship" with the U.S. endured; it played a pivotal role in the Second World War and the Cold War, and is in effect today. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Foreign relations of the United Kingdom」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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