Freedom and Security. The CSCE Follow-up Meeting in Vienna

The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) served as a communication platform that bridged the divide between Cold War blocs. Its 35 participating states aimed to negotiate and establish agreements that would shape their future relations. While the primary focus was on security policy and human rights, other areas such as culture, economics, scientific cooperation, and more were also addressed. The purpose of the three follow-up meetings was to review and expand upon the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. The third follow-up meeting, held in Vienna from 1986 to 1989, marked a turning point. Despite the Cold Wars conclusion still being uncertain at that time, a noticeable easing of tensions emerged, and ideological divisions began to fade. This anthology is among the first works to examine the Vienna follow-up meeting through the lens of historical research. It highlights the interplay between the growing détente in the late Cold War period and the resolution of East-West tensions facilitated by the CSCE negotiations. The individual contributions explore various facets of the Vienna follow-up meeting and their interconnectedness. Alongside prominent topics in CSCE research, such as military security and human rights, the volume also delves into less-studied areas like culture and the environment. The contributions also reflect the interests of diverse states. These range from the rapprochement between the two superpowers and the dynamics of European Political Cooperation (EPC) to the positions of neutral and non-aligned states, as well as the increasing independence of some Eastern European countries. Furthermore, the role of external actors, including NGOs and the media, is thoroughly examined. The volume situates the Vienna follow-up meeting within the broader CSCE framework and the global political developments of its time. It offers a wide array of perspectives, retrospectives, and future-oriented analyses. Many of the studies are based on previously unpublished and unexamined documents. Additionally, the analyses incorporate memoirs and writings from diplomats, interviews with contemporary witnesses, and media reports. As a whole, the anthology provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on influential yet underexplored diplomatic negotiations during the final phase of the Cold War.

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