The conference on security and cooperation in Europe : a reappraisal

This chapter argues that the CSCE and the Final Act, far from setting a seal on détente, constituted a step in the process of setting relations in Europe to a new pattern beyond the Cold War. This is evident in the content of the Final Act and the approach that underpins it, which is analyzed in the first part of the chapter. The innovative character of the CSCE is also the result of the proactive and ultimately determinant role played by the EEC member states (“the Nine”), the neutral and non-aligned countries (N+N), and independently acting Romania in shaping the content of the Final Act. Major actors’ goals and actions at the CSCE are analyzed in the second part and show a striking difference between the superpowers’ approach and some European countries’ visions of continental relations. Indeed, the most immediate result of the CSCE, crystallized in the ensuing process, was the shift “from détente in Europe to European détente,” the former being a superpower tool for stabilizing the continent, while the latter was a long-term policy aimed at overcoming the Cold War.