ABSTRACT
The concept and implementation of regional cooperation in South-Eastern Europe are built on a range of paradoxes which underline at the same time the inherent limits of a regional approach as well as the main incentives in favour of its further development. Assessing subregionalism in South East Europe first implies to define to which extent a meaningful region exists or whether it is simply an external perception of disparate states. Mutual perceptions concerning a regional approach have evolved over the last few years. Since 1991, integration within European political and security organisations has remained the ultimate goal for the countries of the region. Regional cooperation initiated locally is a precondition for the success of top-down frameworks. For regional cooperation to work, a necessary balance between top-down and bottom-up approaches is needed such as coordination and transparency to promote interdependence.
