Regional Security and Conflict Management: An Analysis of the Effects of EU Integration Process in the Western Balkans

• Author: Reina Shehi
• Position: Epoka University
• Pages: 129-136

129

ISSN 2410-759X

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania Vol. 1 No. 3

January 2016

Regional Security and Conflict Management: An Analysis of the Effects of

EU Integration Process in the Western Balkans

Ph.D. (C.) Reina Shehi

Epoka University

Abstract

This paper studies the importance of incorporating conflict management methods as

part of the Western Balkan countries security policy strategies in order to construct

long- term, sustainable peace and regional cooperation. IR mainstream theories suggest

that national security is the prior goal of each state and traditionally it has been developed

through military capabilities. However, the post 1990 era has proved the importance of

adopting soft tools in establishing security from an individual, group, regional,

international and even global aspect. The core of this study focuses on the Western

Balkan region conflicts over the 1994-2013 period.

This study’s main hypothesis is that Western Balkan states do not still have the capability

of involving conflict management methods within national security strategy frameworks

on their own due to their problematic past relations and still very high nationalistic

feelings, however they can realize it through the involvement of EU as a crucial third

party. All of the Western Balkan countries enhance the European perspective that has

been framed as the Stabilization and Association Process. Since 2003, Western Balkan

states have committed themselves officially to the regional requirements of EU that are

political and economic stability as well as regional cooperation in order to achieve long

term prosperity.

In order to test this hypothesis, all Western Balkans state behavior against disputes

with any of their regional partners from 1994 until 2013 will be analyzed and coded

under categories of conflict management theories. Conflict management theories consider

bilateral and multilateral methods to have long-term effects. Thus, the study will identify

all cases in which bilateral and multilateral methods have been applied and also look at

in how many of these cases states have done it as a requirement of the EU integration

process or through the direct involvement of EU representatives.

Keywords: Regional Security, Conflict Management, Western Balkans, EU Integration,

Negotiation.

Introduction

This paper aims to study the Western Balkans conflict management capacity and

see how they have developed it as part to their security strategy. It covers the post-

war period that signaled the dissolution of Yugoslavia and it especially focuses on

the after war conflict management process. This paper decides to focus on three

protracted conflicts. The case studies are not to generalize the conflict management

understanding of the Western Balkans but they are appropriate in offering a general

view of the process.

In order to realize it, this paper starts by introducing the reader with the main

theories that explain the protracted conflict management style. It points out that