隨著前蘇聯的解體，國際安全的定義也隨之改變。冷戰時期大規模的軍事對抗和一觸即發的核武危機之可能性已大幅降低，取而代之的是恐怖主義、大規模毀滅性武器擴散及政經動盪的長遠後果等。而中亞─外高加索地區亦因為地緣、能源、民族與宗教信仰等因素，一直紛擾不斷，間接威脅到歐洲的安全。因此，北約作為後冷戰時期全球唯一的軍事組織，為了防止中亞─外高加索地區的衝突擴散，其戰略觀便本著「合作性安全」與「預防性外交」的概念，藉著推動相關國家簽署「歐洲傳統武器裁減條約」及「和平夥伴關係計畫」來達到區域和平的目的。然而，北約的中亞─外高加索戰略走向將受到內、外變數所影響。內在變數主要是成員國間必須先對北約未來的定位達成共識；外在變數則是周邊國家認為北約勢力的東擴將大幅壓縮其戰略空間，因此將提反制之道。 The concept of international security has changed since the Soviet Union collapsed. The possibility of massive retaliation and clash has gone down and the terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the instability of political and economical situation have become the central issues of security instead. The Central Asia and the Transcaucasus area has been a hot spot and it might be a potential threat to Europe due to the problems of energy, geopolitics, nationality and religion. As the only international military organization after the Cold War, NATO’s central aim is to prevent any diffusion of conflict in this area. NATO’s strategy is to push the related states to sign “ the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty” and “ the program of Partnership for Peace” with the concepts of cooperative security and defensive diplomacy. NATO’s strategy is influenced by variables within the members of the organization and the responses of other countries to the strategic pressure put upon by NATO plays an important part as well.
