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Confidence and Security Building Measures

In the years following the Helsinki Final Act, a key component of European security was the development of a comprehensive set of confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs) designed to reduce the risk of conflicts, increase trust among the OSCE participating States, and contribute to greater openness and transparency in the field of military planning and activities.

One of the main CSBMs is the Vienna Document, which requires participating States to exchange information on their military forces, equipment, and defense planning – for example, providing prior notification of troop maneuvers and allowing for the observation of military exercises. The Vienna Document also provides for inspections and evaluation visits that can be conducted on the territory of any participating State that has armed forces. According to the OSCE, on average, participating States have historically undertaken some 90 inspections and 45 evaluation visits each year.

In the runup to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, elements of the Vienna Document were invoked by Ukraine and the Baltic states as part of diplomatic efforts to avert the looming crisis. However, Russia (and Belarus) refused to engage or provide clarifications required under the Document’s provisions.  While this development successfully highlighted Russia’s deliberate lack of transparency and likely hostile intentions, it also underlined the extent to which CSBMs rely on good faith engagement by all sides to meet the measures’ stated intent of preventing conflict and build trust. 

Helsinki Commissioners have actively promoted OSCE CSBMs through hearings, briefings, and statements, as well as through advocacy at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Staff Contact: Alex Tiersky, senior policy advisor

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  • Documents of the Soviet Groups to Establish Trust Between the US and the USSR

    Appeal To The Governments and People of The USSR and The USA: The USSR and the USA have the means to kill in such proportions that would end the history of mankind. A balance of terror cannot be a reliable guarantee of safety in the world. Only trust between peoples can create a firm assurance of the future. Today, when elementary trust between the two nations has been completely lost, the problem of trust has ceased to be simply a question of bilateral relations. This is the question: Will mankind be wiped out by its own destructive capabilities or will it survive? This problem demands immediate action today. It is, however, very obvious that political leaders of both sides are incapable of coming to any sort of agreement about significant arms limitations in the near future . ... to say nothing of genuine disarmament. Due to their political interests and circumstances, politicians find it difficult to be objective on disarmament issues  Recognizing this, we do not wish to accuse one side or the other of not wishing to promote the peace process, nor certainly of any aggressive designs for the future. We are convinced of their genuine desire for peace and curtailment of the nuclear threat. However, the search for the path to disarmament has become difficult. We all share an equal responsibility for the future. The active peace movement among citizens of many countries proves that this is understood by millions of people. But our common desire for peace must not be blind It must be perceived and expressed in concrete terms. It must be presented in the context of actual conditions. The world is concerned about its future. Everyone understands that there must be dialogue if the threat is to be removed. The prevailing principles of conducting bilateral dialogue must be changed immediately. 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We call for each such proposal to be forwarded simultaneously to the governments of both countries and to representatives of independent public peace groups. We hope espeially that our call will be heeded by the peoples of the Soviet Union and the United States, whose governments bear the main responsibility for maintaining the safety of the world. 2. We call upon the citizens of both countries to create combined international public groups, based on the principles of independence. Their functions would include: the receipt and analysis of individual proposals on disarmament and promoting trust between nations: the selection of the most interesting and realistic proposals: bringing these proposals to the attention of the respective populations about the possible consequences of the use of nuclear arms, and about all issues concerning disarmament. 3. 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Such a bulletin would provide an opportunity for independent citizens' peace groups to participate in general discussions, publish uncensored materials, especially proposals on disarmament and trust and information on (various) peace movements and the steps they have taken. We appeal to the governments and public opinion of the USSR and the USA since we are convinced that everyone who understands that the future needs to be defended must have a genuine opportunity to defend it! Moscow; June 4, 1982 Batovrin, Sergei Blok, V.R. Fleishgakker, Maria I. Khronopulo, Yu. G. Fleishgakker, V.N. Rozenoer, S.A. Sobkov, I.N. Ostrovskaya, L.A. Krochik, G.M. Kalyuzhny, B.I. (and seventy-four signatures in support) (the appeal is open for signatures.)

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