European Security and International Institutions after the Cold War

After the end of the Cold War a consensus developed on the need for an intemational system of cooperative Security in Europe. In this context the restructuring of existing security innstitutions is a priority, as these are the·ideal instrument to deal with the new instabilities which·have emerged since 1989. For most West Europeans, international institutions must also ensure that the US retains its presence in Europe. The US needs such institutions to maintain a role in world politics while avoiding that of world 'policeman'. All agree institutions are the best way to address new Central and Eastern European security concerns. Yet initiatives undertaken so far are insufficient. The post-Yugoslav crisis is a case in point. Failure to prevent that war has highlighted the need for both improved coordination among institutions and a clear definition of their respective responsibilities. The term 'interlocking institutions' has become a widely used catchword. This study is both a critical assessment of how changes have been implemented so far and an analysis of the agenda for the future.

Revised version of papers presented at the conference "Security in Europe after the Cold War: What Role for International Institutions?" organised in Rome on 10-11 December 1993 within the framework of the research project "European Security Institutions After the Cold War" conducted by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) in cooperation with Rand Corporation, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Adenauer Stiftung, Institute for the United States and Canada in Moscow, Centro militare di studi strategici (CeMiSS), Centro studi di politica internazionale (CeSPi) e University of Ankara.