The relevance of European security structures to the Mediterranean (and vice versa)

Abstract

The debate in the 1990s over the continuing relevance and scope of European security structures (NATO, the WEU and the OSCE) was not triggered by the issue of Mediterranean security, but rather by new security concerns within Europe resulting from the end of the cold war. Europe's awakening to the urgency of dealing with Mediterranean security came later, but when it did, the Mediterranean entered the European security debate. All three security organizations have embarked on dialogue with Mediterranean countries, but one must question how well qualified or disposed they are to take care of collective security within the Mediterranean, when they continue to regard the region as a matter of external security vis-a-vis Europe. With the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, which involves a more comprehensive approach to Mediterranean security, one might see the emergence of a political and security identity. Such an achievement in the Mediterranean context could represent a milestone in the EU's pursuit of a CFSP for itself.