Latvia in the System of European Territorial Security: a View from the Inside and Outside
- DOI
- 10.5922/2079-8555-2015-1-4
- Pages
- 56-66
Abstract
This article focuses on Latvian contribution to European security, which, for the purposes of this study, is understood as a territorial system of regional security. Such system is a combination of interconnected institutions with Latvian participation operating in the field of security, Latvian cooperation with other European countries in the field of security, and the European perception of major security challenges and threats (that Latvia may or may not agree with). A systemic approach to studying the role of Latvia in the territorial system of European security requires a solid theoretical framework. The theories of international relations discussed in this article fall into two categories: those where territorial security systems are viewed as a product of external factors, and those that focus on internal regional factors. In this article, the authors rely on a variety of methods, including those that are characteristic of classical theories of international relations (such as realism and liberalism), and those employed in social constructivism studies. It is concluded that Latvian cooperation with institutions and countries of the territorial system of European security is rather limited, which indicates either a lack of the country’s integration into the system or a crisis of the system itself. An important result of the study is the validation of a systemic approach to studying regional security systems. This angle proves particularly useful in identifying crises of territorial systems of regional security in various regions of the world.
Reference
1. Young, O. R. 1968, Political Discontinuities in the International System, World Politics, Vol. 20, no. 3, p. 369—392.
2. Käkönen, J., Lähteenmäki K., 1995, Regionalization and the Theory of International Relations, Tampere, TAPRI, 49 s.
3. Tassinari, F. 2004, Mare Europaeum: Baltic Sea Region Security and Cooperation from Post-Wall to Post-Enlargement Europe, Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, 343 p.
4. Morgenthau, H. 1993, Politics among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace, New York, McGrow-Hill, 419 p.
5. Lanko, D. 2013, The regional approach in the policy of the Russian Federation towards the Republic of Estonia, Balt. Reg., no. 3, p. 37—45. DOI: 10.5922/2079-8555-2013-3-4.
6. Fedorov, G. М. 2010, Region kak territorial'naja sistema [Region as a territorial system], Vestnik Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, no. № 1, p. 20-27.
7. Mitrany, D. 1966, A Working Peace System, Chicago, Quadrange Books, 221 p.
8. Buzan, B., Wæver, O. 2003, Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 564 p.
9. Ozaliņa, Ž. 2008, European Security and Defense Policy: The Latvian Perspective. In: Archer, C. (ed.), New Security Issues in Northern Europe: The Nordic and Baltic States and the ESDP, New York, Routledge, p. 115—138.
10. Latvijas Republikas Saeima. Par Ziemeļatlantijas līgumu (2.lasījums. Steidzams). — 26.02.2004. 09:36:48 bal013, Arhivs, available at: http://www.saeima.lv/steno/2002_8/st_040226/Balsoj/013.htm (accessed 09.11. 2014).
11. Sapronas, R. 1999, BALTBAT and Development of Baltic Defense Forces, Baltic Defense Review, no. 2, p. 55—70.
12. Kolga, M. 2006, Quo Vadis, Baltic Defense Cooperation? Estonian Foreign Policy Yearbook, Tallinn, Eesti välispoliitika instituut, p. 119—136.
13. MID Latvii iskljuchil razmeshhenie «gigantskih baz NATO» na territorii strany [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia ruled accommodation "giant NATO bases" in the country], 2014, DELFI.LV, 5 September, available at: http://rus.delfi. lv/news/daily/latvia/mid-latvii-isklyuchil-razmeschenie-gigantskih-baz-nato-na-territorii-strany.d?id=44932342 (accessed 09.11.2014).
14. Rossijskie jeksperty: strany Baltii priblizjat jekonomiku Rossii k evropejskoj [The Russian experts: the Baltic countries will bring the Russian economy to the European], 2003, DELFI.LV, 16 May, available at: http://rus.delfi.lv/news/daily/latvia/rossijskie-eksperty-strany-baltii-priblizyat-ekonomiku-rossii-k-evropejskoj.d?id=5419154. (accessed 09.11. 2014).
15. Lieģis, I. 2014, Conditions Affecting Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Europe, Latvian Foreign Policy Yearbook 2013, Riga, Latvian Institute of International Affairs, p. 36—43.
16. Gushchin, V. 2014, Mezhdunarodnoe pravo na sluzhbe SShA i… rusofobii [International law in the service of the United States and... russophobia], Strategija Rossii [Strategy of Russia], no. 7, July, available at: http://sr.fondedin.ru/new/fullnews_arch_to.php?subaction=showfull&id=1404219598&archive=1403878805&start_from=&ucat=14& (accessed 09.11. 2014).
17. Nutt, M. 1996, Kui Läti murdub, asutakse Eesti kallale, Eesti Päevaleht, no. 20, Juuni.
18. Māris Cepurītis: Ieskats Latvijas publiskā tēla veidošanā: EDSO piemērs, 2013, DELFI.LV, 25 oktobris, available at: http://www.delfi.lv/news/comment/comment/maris-cepuritis-ieskats-latvijas-publiska-tela-veidosana-edso-piemers.d?id=43758238. (accessed 09.11.2014).
19. Birckenbach, H. M. 2004, Is there a Role for International Organizations? The Case of the Russian Exclave Kaliningrad. In: Khudoley, K. K. New Security Challenges as Challenges to Peace Research, St. Petersburg University Press, p. 300—311.
20. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, 1995, Opinion No. 183 (1995) on the Application by Latvia for Membership of the Council of Europe. Text adopted by the Assembly on January 31, available at: http://assembly.coe.int/ Documents/AdoptedText/TA95/Eopi183.htm. (accessed 09.11.2014).
21. Luxembourg European Council, 1997, Presidency Conclusions, 12 and 13 December, no. SN400/97, available at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/032a0008.htm (accessed 09.11.2014).
22. Helsinki European Council, 1995, Presidency Conclusions, 10 and 11 December, no. 00300/1/99, available at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/ACFA4C.htm (accessed 09.11.2014).
23. Lūk, tā izskatās piemineklis Bauskas aizstāvjiem pret otrreizējo padomju okupāciju. DELFI.LV. 2012. 18 septembris. URL: http://www.delfi.lv/aculiecinieks/news/novados/luk-ta-izskatas-piemineklis-bauskas-aizstavjiem-pret-otrreizejo-padomjuokupaciju.d?id=42678042 (accessed 09.11.2014).
24. 56% latvijcev hotjat sohranenija suvereniteta, a ne bolee tesnoj integracii v ES i NATO [56% of Latvians wish to preserve the sovereignty, rather than closer integration into the EU and NATO], 2012, DELFI.LV, 15 April, available at: http://rus.delfi.lv/news/daily/latvia/56-latvijcev-hotyat-sohraneniya-suvereniteta-a-ne-boleetesnoj-integracii-v-es-i-nato.d?id=42283262#ixzz3L1noH5ww (accessed 09.11.2014).