(2) London Declaration on a transformed North Atlantic Alliance issued by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council. London 5-6 July 1990. Documents on International Security Policy, p.11.

(3) One of the first to speak about "security vacuum" was Vaclav Havel, president of the former Czechoslovakia, during his visit to NATO headquarters on 21 March 1991. See Theo von den Doel. Central Europe: The New Allies? The Road from Visegrad to Brussels (USA, Westview Press, 1994), p.19.

(4) The term "Baltics" is relatively new and appeared only in the middle of the 19th century among small circles of Baltic-German families, which at that time controlled Estonia and the northern part of Latvia (Vidzeme). Only around 1920 were Lithuanians included in the Baltics concept. Until then Lithuania together with Poland were developing their own regionalism (see Regional identity under Soviet rule: The case of the Baltic States) Ed. by D.A.Loeber, V.Stanley Vardys, L.P.A. Kitching. - N.Y.: Hacketstown, 1990, p.415.

(5) see for example, Werner Levi. International Politics. Foundation of the System. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota press, 1974, pp.104-109; R.I.Rummel "Some Empirical Findings on Nations and Their Behaviour. World Politics, vol. XXI(January), 1969, pp.226-241; M.A.East Size and Foreign Policy Behaviour: A Test of Two Models. World Politics, vol. XXV(July), 1973, No.4, pp.556-577.

(6) This behaviour model for small states in the international relations sphere has been developed by M.A.East utilizing extensive writings on foreign relations and policy where various authors have accented different typical foreign policy features of small states, often repeating and supplementing each other. See M.A.East. Size and foreign policy behaviour. A test of two models. World Politics, vol.XXV, July, 1973, No.4, p.557.

(7) see for example, The Other Powers. Studies in the Foreign Policies of Small States. Ed. by R.P.Barston. London, George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1973, pp.13-26.

(8) M.A.East. Size and foreign policy behaviour. A test of two models. World Politics, vol.XXV, July, 1973, No.4, pp.559-560.

(9) ibid.

(10) D.Vital. The Survival of Small States. Studies in Small Power/Great Power Conflict. London, Oxford University Press, 1971, p.12.

(11) see D.Fischer. Nonmilitary Aspects of Security: A Systems Approach. Dartmouth, UNIDIR, 1993, p.9.

(12) see for example, H.J.Morgenthau. Politics Among Nations, pp.3-17.

(13) see for example, D.A.Mitrany. The Functional Theory of Politics. London, London School of Economic and Political Science. New York: St.Martin's Press, 1975; R.O.Keohane and J.H.Nye, eds. Transnational Relations and World Politics, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1971.

(14) B.Buzan. People, States and Fear: The National Security Problem in International Relations. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1983, p.251.

(15) see for example, H.J.Morgenthau. Politics Among Nations, p.451.

(16) The Alliance's New Strategic Concept, agreed upon by the Heads of State and Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council. NATO Review. 1991, December, No.6, vol.39, pp.25-32.

(17) D.Fischer. Nonmilitary Aspects of Security: A Systems

Approach. Dartmouth, UNIDIR, 1993, p.7.

(18) B.Buzan. People, States and Fear (1983), p.253.

(19) see B.Sundelius Coping with structural security threats. Small States in Europe and Dependence/Otomar Holl (ed.). Wien: Braumuller, 1983, p.284.

(20) D.Fischer. Nonmilitary Aspects of Security, p.10.

(21) P.Morgan. Security in International Politics: Lessons From the Twentieth Century. Defensie studiecentrum, No.24, 1988, December, pp.2-5.

(22) ibid.pp.15-16.

(23) ibid.p.15.

(24) see, Small States in Europe and Dependence, p.283.

(25) M.Mandelbaum. The Fate of Nations. The Search for National Security in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1988, p.2.

(26) Trygve Mathisen. The Functions of Small States in the Strategies of the Great Powers. Oslo, Bergen Tromso, 1971, pp.67-129.

(27) see, N.Amstrup. The Perennial Problem of Small States: A Survey of Research Efforts.- Cooperation and Conflict. 1976, No.3, pp.170-173.

(28) Neutral States and the European Community. Ed. Sheila Harden. London, Brassey's (UK), 1994, p.144.

(29) ibid. p.145.

(30) Problematic, for example, is the question of the possibility of retaining neutrality status by states that have joined the European Union (Sweden, Findland, Austria) which intends to implement a common security and defense policy. (See: Neutral States and the European Community, p.93).

(31) Neutral States and the European Community, p.145, p.156.

(32) H.J.Morgenthau. The Problem of Neutrality. The University of Kansas City Law Review, 1938, p.109.

(33) International Military and Defense Encyclopedia, Washington, New York, Brassey's (US), Inc., 1993, vol.1, p.116.

(34) R.L.Rothstein. Alliances and Small Powers, New York and London, 1968, p.244.

(35) N.Amstrup. The Perennial Problem of Small States, pp.171-172.

(36) International Military and Defense Encyclopedia, vol.1, pp.120-121.

(37) The term "globalization" is often invoked to describe the process of increasing interdependence and global enmeshment which occurs as money, people, images, values, and ideas flow ever more swiftly and smoothly across national boundaries.(See: A.Hurell and N.Woods. Globalisation and inequality. Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 1995, vol.24, No.3, p.447).

(38) N.Amstrup. The Perennial Problem of Small States, p.172.

(39) Regionalism is defined as cooperation among governments or non-government organizations in three or more geographically proximate and interdependent countries for the pursuit of mutual gain in one or more issue-areas. (See: M.Alagappa. Regionalism and conflict management: a framework for analysis. Review of International Studies, vol.21, No.4, 1995, October, p.362).

(40) European Communities, Treaty on European Union. (Luxembourg: European Communities, Office for Official Publicatins, 1992), p.123.

(41) ibid., pp.123-124

(42) ibid., p.126

(43) Rotfeld A.D. Europe: towards a new regional security regime. SIPRI Year Book 1994. Stockholm: Oxford University Press, 1994), p. 219.

(44) European Communities, Treaty on European Union, p.126

(45) ibid.

(46) see The North Atlantic Treaty. Washington D.C., 4 April, 1949. NATO Basic Documents (Brussels: NATO Information Service, 1989), pp.10-13.

(47) On 5-6th July 1990 at the North Atlantic Council meeting the Heads of State or Government published the "London Declaration on a transformed North Atlantic Alliance", which may be considered as the conceptual basis for NATO reforms. The declaration emphasizes that at the end of the division of Europe into two hostile camps, each country's security is inseparable from the security of its neighbours. The declaration also proposes that Central and East European countries have regular diplomatic liasion with NATO and political and military cooperation with it. (See London Declaration on a transformed North Atlantic Alliance issued by the Heads of State or Government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council. Documents on International Security Policy, pp.11-12.).

(48) The Alliance's Strategic Concept (Brussels: NATO Office of Information and Press, 1991, pp.7-8.).

(49) see North Atlantic Co-operation Council Statement on Dialoque, Partnership and Co-operation. Brussels, 20 December 1991. Documents on International Security Policy, p.74.

(50) see Corterier P.Widening the Alliance? - Security in Europe: the Role of NATO after the Cold War (London, Washington: Brassey's, 1994), pp.18-21.

(51) Nowakowski J.M. In Search of a Strategic Home. The View from Poland. - NATO: The Case for Enlargement (London: The Institute for European Defence and Strategic Studies, 1994), pp.27-28.

(52) By January 1994, official applications for NATO membership had been submitted by all Visegrad states and Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Slovenia, Ukraine and Lithuania. Labrit, 1994, 22 June.

(53) Many respondents have rejected any involvement with NATO, citing neutrality as an alternative. Other respondents (especially non-citizens) are alarmed that after the withdrawal of Russian troops NATO bases may appear.

(54) see Rotfeld A.D. Europe: towards a new regional security regime. SIPRI Yearbook 1994, p.209.

(55) Russian President Boris Yeltsin's letter to US President Bill Clinton. 15 September 1993. SIPRI Yearbook 1994, p.250.

(56) Theo van den Doel. Central Europe: The New Allies? The Road from Visegrad to Brussels (USA, Westview Press, 1984), p.93.

(57) Corterier P. Widening the Alliance? Security in Europe: the Role of NATO after the Cold War, pp.27-28.

(58) NATO Partnership for Peace. Latvian Edition, (Brussels: NATO Office of Information and Press, 1994), p.6.

(59) ibid.,p.8.

(60) see Sir Richard Vincent. The Brussels Summit - a military perspective. NATO Review, 1994, No.1, p.9.

(61) NATO. The case for Enlargement, p.6.

(62) Ministerial meeting of the North Atlantic Council held at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, on 1 December 1994. Final Communique. NATO Press Service.

(63) ibid.

(64) see Key-Note Speech of Mr.Max Van Der Stoel, High Commisioner On National Minorities to the Seminar on Early Warning and Preventive Diplomacy. The CSCE ODIHR BULLETIN, 1994, vol.2, No.2, pp.7-13.

(65) see Rotfeld A.D. Europe: towards a new regional security regime. SIPRI Yearbook, p.230.

(66) The Military Balance. 1995/1996, p.85, p.89, p.90.

(67) The National Security Concept for Latvia was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on June 13th, 1995. This concept was produced based on the previously done threat factor analysis. At the same time the Cabinet approved a new Defence Concept, already the third since regaining independence, which does not principally differ from the previous two - approved March 23, 1992 and May 13, 1994. Up to now no military doctrine has been approved in Lithuania or Estonia. Discussions about the national security concept draft in Lithuania are continuing for the fourth year.

(68) Only Latvia has a law "On national defence", which Saeima (Parliament) approved on November 24, 1994 (Latvijas Vestnesis.-Dec.13, 1994). This is already the second such law in Latvia since regaining independence (first was accepted by LR Supreme Council November 4th, 1992).

(69) At the present, no sufficiently objective units of measure of national vulnerability and stability levels have been worked out, however research done within UN Development programs has allowed comparing different countries by the so-called human development index. Among 173 countries, by this scale, Latvia occupies 30th place, Lithuania - 28th, Estonia - 29th. The placement on the scale is based primarily on the following human development criteria: economic security, security of livelyhood, health care system and environmental protection system status, crime level, protection of minority rights and political stability. (Human Development Report, 1994. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994, p.129).

(70) Total Defence in Sweden. - Stockholm: National Board of Psychological Defence, 1994.

(71) Main Provisions of the National Security Doctrine Adopted by the Republic of Estonia.- G.Tamulaitis. National Security and Defence Policy of the Lithuanian State. UNIDIR. Research Paper Nr.26. New York and Geneva, 1994, p.47.

(72) Latvijas Vestnesis. - Dec.13, 1994.

(73) Haab M. Estonia and Europe: Security and Defence. The Baltic States: Security and Defence after Independence. Chaillot Paper 19. Paris, Institute for Security Studies WEU, 1995, p.43.

(74) With respect to budgetary expenditures for defence purposes, the Baltic states are among the most frugal in the world. This can be determined from UN data on military expenditures in the world. On the average, non-NATO countries spend 3.4% of GDP on defence. From 150 countries for which data is available only 13 countries spent 1% or

less of GDP on military needs (Human Development Report 1994, pp.170-171). In 1994 Latvia spent 1% of GDP, Estonia - 0,99%, Lithuania - 0,83% for national defence.

(75) Latvia's national defence laws. Riga: Junda, 1993, p.23.

(76) National Security and Defence Policy of the Lithuanian State. UNIDIR. Research Paper Nr.26, p.51.

(77) Ibid, p.49.

(78) Labrit - July 7, 1994.

(79) This viewpoint was defended by the 5th Saeima (Parliament) representative, member of the Baltic Assembly, M.Budovskis (Udris J., Baltijas valstu vienotiba aug. Latvijas Vestnesis. November 3, 1993).

(80) Gabliks J. Baltijas valstu savieniba un Austrumeiropas NATO, Briva Latvija, Nr.8, Febr.28 - March 7, 1994.

(81) Vares P. Dimensions and Orientations in the Foreign and Security Policies of the Baltic States/New Actors on the International Arena: The Foreign Policies of the Baltic Countries. Tampere: Peace Research Institute, 1993, p.21.

(82) Historian T.Parming emphasizes that the Baltics are closer to being a three diverse component sum rather than a unified whole. Regional identity under Soviet rule: The case of the Baltic States. Ed. by D.A.Loeber, V.Stanley Vardys, L.P.A.Kitching. - New York - Hacketstown, 1990, p.17.

(83) Vestnik vojennoj informaciji. - Nr.11, Nov., 1993.