THE ROLE OF WESTERN BALKANS IN NATO STRATEGIC THINKING: REFLECTIONS ON CONTINUITY AND CHANGES IN SEEKING FOR A NEW RELEVANCE
Keywords:
NATO Strategic Concept(s), Western Balkans, Brussels Summit 2021, NATO 2030.Abstract
Recently changed global political, security, and strategic context put NATO strategic thinking to new tests. The ability to adapt to unique circumstances and find a suitable position in international society is again on the NATO agenda. This paper investigates processes on the road ahead of the NATO members to a new NATO strategic concept, emphasizing Western Balkans countries and territories and their efforts to play new roles. Contemporary perception of China threat, Russian aggressive behavior in its neighborhood, pandemics, and climate change seem to put away Western Balkans from the NATO agenda. The authors claim that NATO must hold back its tier built in previous decades. Some Western Balkans countries became members, but the others remained possible sources of regional instability. Also, this is the region where most great powers clash their interests and fight diplomatically and economically for achieving their particular foreign policy goals. If striving to remain relevant in the area, NATO must (re)discover new roles with appropriate answers.
References
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3. Ferreira da Cruz, M. A., (2021). NATO 2030: Survival in a New Era. JANUS e-journal of International Relations 12(1), 13-30.
4. Hope, I. (2017). The Western Balkans and the Revenge of History. Research Paper (142). Rome: Nato Defence College.
5. Kecskemethy, K. S., (2021). The NATO 2030 Report: Strategic priorities of the Alliance, International Conference Knowledge-Based Organization 27(1), 118-124.
6. Kulesa, L. and Wieslander, A., (2019). A New Strategic Concept for NATO's 70th Birthday? European Leadership Network. Accessed on August 9, 2021. https://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/a-new-strategic-concept-for-natos-70th-birthday/
7. Larsen, H., (2020). The Western Balkans between the EU, NATO, Russia and China. CSS Analyses in Security Policy (263), ETH Zurich. Accessed on August 10, 2021. https://css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/pdfs/CSSAnalyse263-EN.pdf
8. Larsonneur, J.C., (2020). Key Challenges to Maintaining Peace and Security in the Western Balkans, Defence and Security Committee – Sub-committee on Transatlantic Defence and Security Cooperation, Accessed on August 9, 2021. https://www.nato-pa.int/download-file?filename=/sites/default/files/2020-12/032%20DSCTC%2020%20E%20rev.%202%20fin%20-%20WESTERN%20BALKANS.pdf
9. Lord, W.T., (2016). NATO in the Western Balkans: time for a new approach?, George S. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. Accessed August 10, 2021. https://www.marshallcenter.org/sites/default/files/files/2020-09/pC_V8N1_en-4_Lord.pdf
10. NATO, (2010). Active Engagement, Modern Defence - Strategic Concept for the Defence and Security of the Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation adopted by Heads of State and Government in Lisbon. Accessed on August 10, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_68580.htm
11. NATO, (2019). Secretary-General: as the world changes NATO will continue to change. Accessed on August 9, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_171581.htm
12. NATO, (2020a). Secretary-General appoints a group as part of NATO reflection process. Accessed on August 9, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_174756.htm
13. NATO, (2020b). Secretary-General launches NATO 2030 to make our strong Alliance even stronger. Accessed on August 12, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_176193.htm
14. NATO, (2020c). NATO 2030: United for a New Era. Accessed on August 10, 2021. https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2020/12/pdf/201201-Reflection-Group-Final-Report-Uni.pdf
15. NATO, (2021a). Leaders agree NATO 2030 agenda to strengthen the Alliance. Accessed on August 10, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_184998.htm?selectedLocale=en
16. NATO, (2021b). Strategic Concepts. Accessed on August 8, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_56626.htm
17. NATO, (2021c). Brussels Summit Communiqué Issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels 14 June 2021. Accessed on August 07, 2021. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_185000.htm
18. Tardy, T. (2020). NATO 2030. United for a new era: a Digest. NATO Defence College, Policy Brief no. 23, Accessed on August 9, 2021. https://www.ndc.nato.int/news/news.php?icode=1509
19. Tardy, T., (2021). For a New NATO-EU Bargain. Security Policy brief (138), Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations. Accessed on August 9, 2021. https://www.egmontinstitute.be/content/uploads/2021/02/SPB138.pdf?type=pdf
20. Wiesman, G., (1999). Polylateralism and New Models of Global Dialogue, Discussion Papers (59). Leicester: Center for the Study of Diplomacy.
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Published
2021-11-26
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Section
Contemporary Security Challenges
