Medvedev’s “Fourteen Points”: Russia’s Proposal for a New European Security Architecture

Abstract

There are few things in Russia’s foreign policy today that occupy as much attention worldwide as Medvedev’s 2008 call for a new European security architecture and his further “fourteen points” proposal for a European Security treaty. Throughout 2009 a large number of government officials and politicians, analysts, and experts from Russia, Europe, the US, and other countries played an active part in the numerous discussions held on the Russian initiative in numerous intergovernmental and nongovernmental forums. On the basis of the results of those discussions, a draft European Security Treaty has been prepared and passed on by President Medvedev to the leaders of the Euro-Atlantic States and the executive heads of the relevant international organizations operating in our common space, such as NATO, the European Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Organization of Security Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In his message President Medvedev emphasized that Russia is open to any proposals on the subject matter of its initiative, and is counting on a positive response from its partners. Russia’s perception of security fits the classical definition by Barry Buzan cited above. Indeed, the primary goal of the Russian state is to be able to maintain its independent identity and its functional integrity.

“Security” means the “ability of states and societies to maintain their independent identity and their functional integrity.”

Buzan, 1991