Conflict and Security in the Former Soviet Union: The Role of the OSCE

This text examines the approach of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to post-Cold War tensions and conflicts in the former Soviet area. It clarifies the extent to which the new procedures, mechanisms and instruments developed by the OSCE are useful, and shows how the organization's activities can aid conflict studies. Two case studies of OSCE involvement in the former Soviet Union area - the republics of Estonia and Moldova - demonstrate the organization's preventive efforts and crisis settlement tools in practical terms, shedding light on the OSCE's possible innovative contributions to conflict studies.