5. Europe: the transition to inclusive security

Summary

With the absence of an external threat to
Europe the main challenges and risks are now of a domestic nature,
stemming from economic and social problems. For this reason,
the non-military elements of stability are gaining in importance,
in particular the attempts to institutionalize the changes taking
place in NATO 'from defence of member territory to defence of
common interests'. Developments in 1997 in the parallel processes
of enlargement of the European Union (EU) and the NATO Alliance
brought Europe a step closer to establishing a system of inclusive
security. While there was no real breakthrough in the shaping
of such a security system, the potential for enhanced Europe-wide
cooperation was advanced by the establishment of the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council (EAPC). In addition, the 1997 NATO-Russia
Founding Act offers a basis for a lasting and inclusive peace.

While the tasks defined for the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) during the cold
war period have been largely fulfilled or have outlived their
relevance, it has conducted significant activities in the areas
of conflict prevention, crisis management and resolution of disputes.

Appendix 5A. Documents on European security

Appendix 5A
contains the NATO-Russia Founding Act, the Basic Document of
the EAPC, the Madrid Declaration on Euro-Atlantic Security and
Cooperation, excerpts from the Amsterdam Treaty, and the text
of one of the three identical Protocols of Accession to the North
Atlantic Treaty.