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Briefing: Crisis management 1. Building peace and stability in crisis regions Contents   1. Building peace and stability in crisis regions   2. Turning point  3. Evolving approaches  4. Modern peacekeeping  5. Operation Essential Harvest  6. EU-NATO cooperation  7. NATO Response Force Editorial Note   Important publisher and editorial information about this document Other Formats English PDF(~1470Kb) Printable version with colour illustrations Order a hardcopy version using the online order form. The greatest and most visible change in NATO's activities since the end of the Cold War is its involvement in ending conflict, restoring peace and building stability in crisis regions. Indeed, the Alliance is currently involved in a variety of capacities in complex, peace-support operations on three continents: in the former Yugoslavia in Europe; in Afghanistan and Iraq in Asia; and in Darfur, Sudan, in Africa. NATO's unique crisis-management capabilities are of increasing importance to wider international security In every instance, NATO has deployed in support of the wider interests of the international community and is working losely together with other organisations organisations to help resolve deep-rooted problems, alleviate suffering and create the conditions in which peace processes can become self-sustaining. In the words of NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer: "The Alliance today is fully alert to the possible escalation of local conflicts in broader security threats. In a globalised world, geographic distance no longer shields us from trouble." In the wake of the terrorist attacks against the United States of 11 September 2001, NATO's unique crisismanagement capabilities – including the NATO Response Force (NRF), the Alliance's spearhead force – are of increasing importance to wider international security, since failed states have proved to be an ideal breeding ground for instability, terrorism and transnational crime. The capabilities and expertise to manage such complex operations have been dramatically enhanced during the past decade, primarily in response to the wars of Yugoslavia's issolution. In effect, the break-up of the former Yugoslavia was the first Euro-Atlantic example of 21st century security challenges, and as such, has been critical to the development of contemporary approaches to peacesupport operations. Lessons learned in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia* are extremely relevant elsewhere, and are being put into practice today in Afghanistan. The wars of Yugoslavia's dissolution, and especially the Bosnian War, caught the international community largely unprepared. The early responses to these crises highlighted the shortcomings of the international security architecture following the end of the Cold War. Initially, the United Nations was the principal institution attempting to broker an end to hostilities, keep the peace in regions where a cease-fire had been agreed and alleviate the suffering of non-combatants. Over the years, NATO became involved in support of the United Nations through various air- and sea-based support operations – enforcing economic sanctions, an arms embargo and a no-flight zone – and by providing the United Nations with detailed military contingency planning concerning safe areas and the implementation of a peace plan. (*) Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.

© NATO - OTAN 2005 -	NATO Public Diplomacy Division 1110 Brussels, Belgium, web site: www.nato.int e-mail: natodoc@hq.nato. int