ABSTRACT
Following the analysis of the historical development of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), entrusted with permanent administrative and executive institutions, new mechanisms and procedures for conflict prevention, management, and post-conflict rehabilitation, this chapter draws attention to the context in which this evolution has taken place. The OSCE's development has been processed in a partly integrated environment where the organization forms part of an overall institutional framework for the promotion of security and stability in Europe. The chapter concentrates on these international organizations as pillars of the European framework for the promotion of security. It draws on the consequences arising from the organizations' post-Cold War development, particularly as regards the way in which the different international organizations interact in the former Soviet area. The chapter demonstrates how the UN, NATO, the EU and the Council of Europe have developed their relationship with the OSCE, addressing strategies, practices and tools, and evaluating competitive versus collaborative tendencies.
