OSCE: CSCE/OSCE timeline

CSCE/OSCE timeline

On 1 August 1975, with the process of détente gradually thawing the chill that the Cold War had cast over international relations, the Heads of State or Government of 35 nations gathered in Helsinki to sign the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE).

In the coming decades, the CSCE would evolve from a diplomatic Conference that helped to break down the barriers of mistrust between East and West into an international Organization - the OSCE - whose numerous institutions and field operations proved vital to stability in the post-Cold War world.

This timeline traces the growth of the OSCE from its origins in Helsinki into an organization with truly global reach that is actively engaged in conflict prevention, resolution and post-conflict rehabilitation - as well as a whole host of other activities related to security, co-operation, human rights and more.

Overview 1975-2005

The OSCE develops from its beginnings in 1975 as a Conference that helped to bring together the Cold War rivals, into the world's largest regional security organization, whose activities promote peace and stability from Vancouver to Vladivostock.
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The 1970s

The signing of the Helsinki Final Act in 1975 marks a breakthrough in East-West relations. The 'Helsinki process' not only offers the rival Cold War blocs permanent channels of communication, but also means that human rights are no longer a taboo subject.
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The 1980s

The collapse of communism, symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall, signifies the end of the Cold War. If the CSCE is to successfully meet the new security challenges presented by the dramatically changed European landscape, it must adapt quickly.
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The 1990s

The institutionalization of the CSCE begins with the Summit of Heads of State in Paris in November 1990; numerous field operations and other bodies are rapidly set up. What began as a Conference becomes a full-fledged Organization on 1 January 1995.
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The 2000s

Terrorist attacks - including 11 September 2001 - in various countries serve as a stark reminder of the shifting security threats the world faces. By 2005, calls are once again heard for OSCE reform. Can the Organization adapt to meet the new challenges?
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East meets West: US President Gerald Ford and USSR General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev (with translator Viktor Sukhodrev at his ear) at Helsinki 1975. Flanking them are Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (l) and Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko (r). (Gerald R. Ford Library)

"History will judge this Conference not by what we say here today, but by what we do tomorrow - not by the promises we make, but by the promises we keep."US President Gerald Ford addressing the Helsinki Summit, 1 August 1975

Documents

The Culture of Dialogue: The OSCE Acquis 30 Years After Helsinki

PDF English (1.62 MB)
Published by the Centre for OSCE Research, Hamburg, July 2005