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61. Security Sector Reform in the Southern Caucasus

Author:
Garry Johnson
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
The dissolution of the Soviet Union left its former nations and those of the Warsaw Pact with a mammoth task of reform and restructuring to be carried out in all the political, social and economic spheres of national life. The fundamental challenge facing these countries was simple: could they modernise all the relevant aspects of their society well enough, and quickly enough, to claim a space in the successful community of the Western nations which had emerged strengthened from the Cold War while the window of integration opportunity remained open?
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, and Cold War
Political Geography:
United States, Central Asia, and Soviet Union

62. Security Sector Governance in the Southern Caucasus-Towards an EU Strategy

Author:
Dov Lynch
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
The EU Commission's Communication on Conflict Prevention of April 2001 attributes importance to security sector reform as a key part of a conflict prevention strategy. The Communication states: 'The security sector has not traditionally been a focus of Community cooperation. However, in many countries achieving structural stability may require a fundamental overhaul of the state security sector (i.e. the police, the armed forces and democratic control of the security forces as a whole).' The Communication concludes that: 'Within the limit of its competencies, the Commission intends to play an increasingly active role in the security sector area. This will take the form of activities aimed at improving police services, promoting conversion and decommissioning both as regards weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons. The Commission could support human rights training for the whole security sector.' At the declaratory level, therefore, the EU has recognised the role of healthy security sector governance in conflict prevention, and for ensuring the structural stability of states and supporting conflict settlement.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States and Central Asia

63. Visions of the Caucasus

Author:
S. Neil MacFarlane
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
When I prepared for this presentation, I assumed that the bulk of the conversation would deal with concrete issues of security sector reform. I could then, in looking at the future, step back and discuss the evolving political, economic, and social context in which security sector reform proceeds or does not proceed. However, the preceding papers mainly deal with the strategic, political and economic context. In contrast little was said about security sector reform.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States and Central Asia

64. Visions and Aims for Security Sector Governance in Southern Caucasus

Author:
Irakli Mchedlishvili
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
The traditional understanding of security covers two basic fields – defense and foreign policy, while the modern understanding of security is more encompassing and includes also topics related to stability and sustainable development.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States and Central Asia

65. Perspectives of Security Development in the South Caucasus

Author:
Elkhan Mehtiyev
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
Many observers emphasize the importance and strategic location of the Caucasus region in the struggle for access to Central Asia. For Turkey and Western countries, the Caucasus is a linkage to Central Asia and, after the collapse of the Taliban regime in November 2001, to Afghanistan. For Central Asia, the Caucasus is a vital route to both the West and Turkey for transportation of energy resources, goods and commodities. For Russia, the Caucasus has always been a gateway to the Middle East.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States, Central Asia, Turkey, Middle East, and Taliban

66. Security Sector Governnance in the South Caucasus: Visions and Aims

Author:
Gayane Novikova
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
Security Sector Governance is a new challenge for the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, including the Southern Caucasian states. After 70 years of strong control by a totalitarian regime with powerful security forces, the three countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia –some serious and unexpected problems.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States, Central Asia, and Soviet Union

67. The Southern Caucasus: In Quest of a New Vision for Cooperative Security Strategy

Author:
Elkhan E. Nuriyev
Publication Date:
02-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
Twelve years after the collapse of the USSR, scholars and political scientists are still puzzled. The post-Soviet life of the three independent states of the South Caucasus remains critically complex. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are still in transition and despite reform efforts, they are not more than weak nations with fragile statehood and a long way to go until peace, stability and viable democracies will be irreversibly established. For today, however, the question is whether the three countries have developed strategic visions and made available the necessary resources to attain this primary goal.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States, Central Asia, Armenia, and Georgia

68. Introduction: Economic and Social Challenges in South East Europe

Author:
Frédéric Labarre
Publication Date:
01-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
At a moment when the international community is dealing –struggling, actually– with new security challenges, some of which are internal disputes between members of two of the most powerful (and successful) military and economic organisations in history, NATO and the EU, it is worth r emembering that some things do evolve in a positive direction.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, and NATO
Political Geography:
United States, Europe, and Central Asia

69. South East Europe and the Trade Potential of Croatia

Author:
Boris Vujcic and Vedran Sosic
Publication Date:
01-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
The question of the trade regime for Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) has during the last decade been the subject of an intense discussion amongst the policymaker s and academia from both within the region and from the EU. The main issues around which the discussion has concentrated w ere those of enhancing the catching-up process by the means of trade liberalization, and protection of the "sensitive" industries within the EU.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States, Europe, and Central Asia

70. Promoting Democracy-building and Security through Private Investments

Author:
Franz-Lothar Altmann
Publication Date:
01-2004
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Austrian National Defence Academy
Abstract:
In principle, private investments can be domestic as well as foreign ones, having of course in many respects quite different effects on democracy-building and security. On the other hand, certain features are also common in general, and I will first try to make some remarks on general effects of private investments, regardless of their domestic or foreign contents. First of all, one can certainly state in general that in order to increase private investments, legislation, legal enforcement and public administration in the respective countries must become transparent and with regard to public administration also more effective. Labor market regulations must become flexible, liberalized for reducing the risk of investors to become chained to encrusted labor laws from former times.
Topic:
Security and Defense Policy
Political Geography:
United States and Central Asia