The European Parliament,

- having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mr Arbeloa Muru and Mrs García Arias on the creation of an Institute of European Security (B3-0484/89),

- having regard to the report on the institutional relations between the EEC and WEU with a view to achieving European Union adopted by the Committee on Institutional Affairs on 1 March 1989 (A2-0425/88),

- having regard to its resolution of 17 June 1987 on the consequences for the European Community of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe/Conference on Disarmament in EuropeOJ No. C 190, 20.7.1987, p. 64,

- having regard to its resolution of 14 March 1989 on the security of Western EuropeOJ No. C 96, 17.4.1989, p. 30,

- having regard to its resolution of 14 March 1989 on European arms exportsOJ No. C 96, 17.4.1989, p. 34,

- having regard to its resolution of 13 December 1989 on security policy and European integrationOJ No. C 15, 22.1.1990, p. 49,

- having regard to its resolution of 14 June 1990 on EPC's role in security policy and on security policy cooperation in EuropeOJ No. C 175, 16.7.1990, p. 177,

- having regard to its resolution 9 October 1990 on the Conference on Security and Cooperation in EuropeOJ No. C 284, 12.11.1990, p. 36,

- having regard to its resolution of 17 June 1988 on the institutional consequences of the costs of non-EuropeOJ No. C 187, 18.7.1988, p. 244,

-having regard to the positions taken by the European Parliament concerning a common security policy with regard to the Intergovernmental Conference on Political Union in its resolutions of 22 November 1990 on the International ConferencesOJ No. C 324, 24.12.1990, p. 219 and 12 December 1990 on the constitutional basis of European UnionOJ No. C 19, 28.1.1991, p. 65,

-having regard to the resolution of 10 June 1991 on the outlook for a European security policy: The significance of a European security policy and its implications for European Political UnionMinutes of that day's sitting, Part II,

-having regard to the oral question on the need for a common foreign and security policy (B3-0275/91)

-having regard to the report of the Political Affairs Committee (A3-0239/91),

A. whereas the new security situation in Europe resulting from the moves toward democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, the end of the division of Europe into two opposed military alliances and significant steps taken toward arms control and disarmament calls for a revision for traditional pattern of threat assessment,

B. whereas a coherent perception on European security must include an overall analysis of European needs and interests as well as the international situation and potential sources of tension or conflict that could jeopardize peace between peoples,

C. whereas progress in arms control and disarmament creates the necessity to provide for an efficient system to monitor the implementation of agreements in this field,

D. whereas European security is indivisible and implies a global dimension as well as a Western European and all-European dimension,

E. whereas the primary objective of an Institute of European Security must be to contribute to the maintenance of peace and to develop a European security identity taking into account the political, economic, military and technological aspects of security as well as disarmament, confidence-building measures, arms sales and related measures,

F. cognisant of the recent creation of an Institute for Security Studies with the task of developing a European security identity based on a decision taken by the Ministerial Council of Western European Union (WEU) in November 1989,

G. aware of the commitment expressed by the governments of the WEU Member States in the "Platform on European Security Interests", adopted on 27 October 1987 to build a European Union in accordance with the Single European Act and to develop a more cohesive European defense identity,

H. noting, that the modified Brussels Treaty, on which WEU is based, will be reviewed in 1998 by its signatories,

I. aware of the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact as a military structure,

J. noting discussions within NATO and its Member States on the need to adapt the Atlantic Alliance to the new security situation in Europe and new threats from outside Europe,

K. cognisant of the decision to create a Centre for the prevention of military conflicts in the framework of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE),

L. aware of the increasing importance and scope of confidence and security building measures (CSBMs) to accompany the arms control and disarmament process,

M. noting the absence of security institutes either within NATO, the CSCE, or the countries of the former Warsaw Pact, but the multiplicity of academic and other security institutes in Europe,

1. Welcomes the establishment by the governments of the WEU Member States of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) with the task of contributing to the maintenance of peace and developing a common European identity based on a new concept of a global rather than exclusively military security policy;

2. Supports the creation of a CSCE centre for the prevention of military conflicts, above all as a forum for the coordination of the implementation of Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBMs) and for the exchange of military information between the participating states;

3. Underlines that the goals and the tasks of the ISS and the CSCE centre must be compatible and complementary;

4. Supports the creation of cooperative links between the various governmental and non-governmental centres of security studies in Europe,

5. Stresses the growing importance to incorporate security and defence into the activities of the European Community institutions, notably in view of the goal to build a European Political Union;

6. Suggests that in the meantime transitional measures should be taken in order to prepare the ground for a smooth and gradual incorporation of the WEU activities into the scope of the European Community competences;

7. Suggests that the European Community institutions should became involved as soon as possible in the activities of the Institute for Security Studies;

8. Considers that the main objectives to which the work of this Institute may contribute are:

- backing for future developments in the CSCE and the proposed CSCM, when its creation is finally decided;

- the completion of a process of full democratization in Europe;

9. Believes that the ISS should also serve as a forum for politicians, academics and military leaders from all the participating states in the CSCE to discuss security matters, military doctrines and strategies, threat perceptions, CSBMs, disarmament strategies and conversion policies;

10. Emphasizes that the elected representatives of the countries involved should have an input as regards the scope and the activities of the ISS;

11. Suggests that, in addition to the members of the WEU Assembly, the members of the European Parliament should be regularly informed about the ISS's activities;

12. Suggests that members of the European Parliament as well as of the WEU Assembly should be invited to make proposals concerning the ISS's programme and to participate in ISS activities;

13. Believes that the institution of an advisory board composed of members of the WEU Assembly and of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Disarmament would help to guide the ISS activities;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Foreign Ministers of the Member States meeting in EPC, the Secretary General of WEU and to the president of the WEU Assembly.