CIAO DATE: 04/04

The Economic aspects of security in South Eastern Europe

Abstract

In the process of constructing a safety structure in the South Eastern Europe one must bear in mind the assumptions on which the new global safety structure is based, and those are:
1. Europe, and the surrounding area of the region, is becoming more stable and peaceful, and there are no indications that there will be any armed conflicts between states in the near future.
2. The situation of volatility and insecurity is spreading globally due to unconventional threats, like international terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, drug-trafficking, illegal immigration etc.
3. The EU, as an institution of international integration, and NATO, as an international organisation, are starting to see eye to eye and are co-ordinating their activities on the basis of compatible civilisation values against the stated threats and in attempt to further economic development of the EU.
4. The role and the importance of multilateral organisations are diminishing. The emphasis is being put on the importance of bilateral relations, especially by the last superpower, the USA, whose policy of unilateralism will surely dominate international relations for some time to come.
5. Other stakeholders in the domain of international relations, with the potential to become partners of the USA in the process of reaffirming multilateral relations. The EU, the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation and the UN have just begun adapting to new relations and there are no indications that the position of the USA as the leading world power would be contested.
6. The globalisation process dominates all aspects of international relations on the basis of scientific and technological revolution, as well as revolution in the communication of information. It will be a consistent mechanism of transferring the model of liberal democracy internationally.

The EU has made increasing efforts lately to enforce its foreign policy, as well as its security policy, in the context of these assumptions , and thus attempts to become politically more influential participant in the global security structure. This will enable the EU to become a more relevant partner of the USA, at the same time contributing to the transformation of international relation paradigm from the present state unilateralism to multilateralism. One of the preconditions is the creation of the sub-regional security structure in the South Eastern Europe and involvement of the states of the region in the process of "the Eastern expansion."

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