ABSTRACT
For 35 years the Atlantic alliance has provided the shield under whose protection our countries have been able to enjoy peace and accomplish great economic and social change. The partnership phenomenon, however, is less evident with regard to economic matters and is less evident on the political level. After all, in the political, economic, and human fields, the West has much more to offer than does the Soviet Union. The firmness and the unity shown by the alliance, both in Madrid and in the case of the Euromissiles, definitely surprised the Soviets. Thus, given its democratic values and organization, the West is better prepared than the Soviet Union to propose gradual solutions to the problems of our time. By expressing our own values, by addressing ourselves to people beyond the different regimes, we will have the best chance of breaking the deadlocks in which we risk finding ourselves.
