BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 12. Peace must be based on legitimacy and the inviolability of borders, Former Federal Chancellor of Austria Alfred Gusenbauer said at the panel titled "Global security and balance of power: respect for international law—new issues, new challenges" within the framework of the 13th Global Baku Forum today, Trend reports.
"American strategic thinking focuses on agreements and incentives, while conflicts are managed by creating workable frameworks within which each side stands to gain more from stability than from escalation," he noted.
According to Husenbauer, the primary focus in European thought revolves around law, sovereignty, and integrity.
"Legitimacy and the inviolability of borders are foundational concepts for peace, as their violation gives rise to instability. Therefore, a lasting agreement for Europe is not limited to the cessation of hostilities. It also requires a solution that respects international law and the right of states to self-determination. In contrast, Russian thinking takes a different approach. It focuses on cultural elements, prestige, recognition, and strategic buffer zones. Security is determined more by the degree to which other powers accept Russia's status and influence than by legal frameworks," he explained.
Gusenbauer pointed out that China is largely a mix of Russian and European approaches but is less influenced by the American model. The Chinese approach seems to be almost a combination of the Russian and European models.
"When you compare these three concepts, the source of the main tensions becomes clear because the American model believes that incentives for national interests can shape the behavior of states. The European model, on the other hand, accepts that stability is derived from legal norms and sovereign equality. The Russian model believes that security comes from power, recognition, and control over the surrounding space," he said.
The politician emphasized that this is exactly the situation observed in the discussions on Ukraine. The U.S. and Russia seem to be closer to an agreement than Europe, and this is mainly due to different frames of mind regarding the concept of security.
"Of course, in addition to differences in security concepts, there is another situation at the moment. I'm not trying to judge the current governments. However, looking at the U.S. national security strategy and the statements of President Vladimir Putin, one gets the impression that the common rival of both is the European Union because the European Union seems to be the last beacon of liberal democracy," he mentioned.
In his opinion, the mainstay of liberal democracy is currently the European Union.
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