Needed: A Framework for European Security

With die end ofthe Cold War, Europe is likely to face a resumption of many historical tensions diat were suppressed in the postwar era, as well as new sources of instability. Despite all efforts to encourage democratic and market reforms in die former Soviet Union—almost certainly the most important region affecting Europe's security—and to use diplomacy to manage the lesser crises in Europe, contingencies are even more likely to arise now dian in die past in which Western Europe may need to employ, or at least must have a convincing option to employ, military force. Nowhere is die need for military cooperation more apparent than in die former state of Yugoslavia. The war has shown, however, mat neidier die collective defense system of die North Adantic Treaty Organization (nato) nor the economic integration efforts of die European Community (EC) have been truly effective in responding to security challenges. Thus any contingencies will require not merely appropriate military responses, but also attention to die political framework widiin which diose responses should be organized. The Maastricht meeting, at which diis issue was confronted in late 1991, provided only a provisional answer, and die danget remains diat die Adantic and European perspectives ofthe European security framework will prove to be incompatible. In adjusting to die challenges brought about by die end of die Cold War, die members of die Western security structure face three critical tasks: creating a new strategic rationale for die Alliance; deciding how to contribute to stability in die