Soviet-East European security relations following the demise of the Warsaw Pact

The political changes that every member of the Warsaw Pact has undergone in the past twelve months, especially the non-Soviet Pact members, have important implications for future security relations in the region. For diverse reasons and in varying national circumstances, the Soviet Union and the new leaderships of the East European states are struggling to re-define their place in the international scene. This study looks at the interests and expectations of the various parties for a regional security structure in order to determine the potential of the Warsaw Pact as a future Soviet-East European policy coordinating mechanism. After examining the history of the Warsaw Pact, analysing its most recent role in East-West relations, and discussing its current status with experts in the field, the author concludes that the Warsaw Pact has lost its relevance to the contemporary European situation and will soon be replaced by a security framework that more accurately addresses the needs of former Pact members.Chairman: Walter Seabold.