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Europe’s recent security venture quietly falls apart
(MENAFN) This week marks 50 years since a major milestone in European diplomacy—the signing of the 1975 Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki. Leaders from 35 countries, including the U.S., Canada, and most of Europe, came together to establish a framework aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence between the two dominant post-World War II blocs.
The agreement was widely seen as an effort to formalize the postwar order, recognizing existing borders—including those of the divided Germanys, Poland, and the Soviet Union—and affirming spheres of influence established since 1945. While diplomatic in nature, the document also outlined aspirational principles such as respect for sovereignty, non-interference, peaceful conflict resolution, and cooperation.
However, the lofty ideals of the Final Act were deeply rooted in the power dynamics of the Cold War. The stable yet tense balance between NATO and the Warsaw Pact gave the agreement its structure and enforceability. The Cold War, though fraught with danger, imposed a kind of order in which the rules were broadly acknowledged by both sides.
Today, that foundational system has collapsed. The global framework built after 1945 has unraveled, and there is no clear successor. Western efforts to extend their influence across Europe after the Cold War had limited success and have now largely faded. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the CSCE’s successor, has struggled to maintain credibility, often viewed as a vehicle for promoting Western norms rather than a neutral platform for dialogue.
In the face of growing global instability, the OSCE remains more symbolic than functional. The vision of pan-European security that inspired the Helsinki Process has become outdated. Today’s security landscape is fragmented, with power imbalances and a lack of shared understanding replacing the once relatively predictable East-West rivalry.
The agreement was widely seen as an effort to formalize the postwar order, recognizing existing borders—including those of the divided Germanys, Poland, and the Soviet Union—and affirming spheres of influence established since 1945. While diplomatic in nature, the document also outlined aspirational principles such as respect for sovereignty, non-interference, peaceful conflict resolution, and cooperation.
However, the lofty ideals of the Final Act were deeply rooted in the power dynamics of the Cold War. The stable yet tense balance between NATO and the Warsaw Pact gave the agreement its structure and enforceability. The Cold War, though fraught with danger, imposed a kind of order in which the rules were broadly acknowledged by both sides.
Today, that foundational system has collapsed. The global framework built after 1945 has unraveled, and there is no clear successor. Western efforts to extend their influence across Europe after the Cold War had limited success and have now largely faded. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the CSCE’s successor, has struggled to maintain credibility, often viewed as a vehicle for promoting Western norms rather than a neutral platform for dialogue.
In the face of growing global instability, the OSCE remains more symbolic than functional. The vision of pan-European security that inspired the Helsinki Process has become outdated. Today’s security landscape is fragmented, with power imbalances and a lack of shared understanding replacing the once relatively predictable East-West rivalry.
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