ABSTRACT
The recent acceleration in the debate on conventional disarmament is due to a set of convergent factors-the growing importance of conventional forces in security policies in the East and in the West and, above all, the spectacular impetus given to the entire issue of disarmament by the new Soviet foreign policy. All deliberation on the prospects for conventional disarmament in Europe must have as its starting point understanding of what will be at stake in the future negotiations as regards the future of the political and territorial order in Europe. Conversely, resisting the process by following the autonomy track might put the Europeans in a situation of growing political isolation and cause them to lose most of their influence not only as a leading player in the Euro-American ensemble, but also on the development of the substantive negotiations.
