Meetings

Project Brief

Core Group

Enlarging the Euro-Atlantic Space: Problems and Prospects for Northeastern and Southeastern Europe

A Euro-Atlantic Initiatives project by the Stanley Foundation and the East European Studies Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Mission

The project will examine the impact NATO expansion and EU enlargement will have on the security environment in Northeastern and Southeastern Europe and its potential impact on US foreign policy.

Methodology

Phase I
Organize the core group.	March 2002
Convene a planning meeting in DC to examine the issues, draft agenda ideas, and identify participants for the regional conference.	April 25, 2002
Convene a regional conference in Budapest, Hungary.	September 8-11, 2002
Publish policy bulletin.	November 4, 2002
Phase II
Convene late-fall conference in Washington, DC.	December 19, 2002
Publish conference report	February 2003

Issues

Before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, it was expected that the year 2002—with the upcoming NATO summit in Prague in November 2002—would witness great debate about NATO's enlargement and, to a lesser extent, about EU expansion and which countries might be considered. An especially contentious issue was whether the Baltic States would be admitted into NATO over the vocal objections of Russia and what would be the implications of such enlargement for security in Europe and NATO-Russia relations. After September 11, it appears that NATO and EU enlargement is not provoking the expected debate and will include a significant number of countries. However, real questions remain about how the enlargement of these two organizations will affect security in Central and Eastern Europe and whether the missions of NATO and the EU will have to change to accommodate growth.

Outcomes

The project will seek to address these and other issues that will result from NATO and EU enlargement and the potential impact enlargement will have on US foreign policy. By doing this, the project endeavors to provide US policymakers with a better understanding of the issues surrounding enlargement; build and strengthen contacts among US and European NATO, EU, and regional experts; and clarify policy options to sustain and strengthen the Euro-Atlantic partnership.