PRAGUE, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Maghreb region currently faces a distinctive combination of security threats - socio-political transformation sparked by the recent wave of pro-democratic movements, the frozen border disputes and territorial conflicts which seriously undermine all efforts at regional integration. This changing security situation in the Maghreb is analyzed by an international expert team lead by Dr. Daniel Novotny in a newly released research paper entitled 'The Changing Security Situation in the Maghreb'.

According to the research paper, a reconsidered and tailor-made European approach to the Maghreb region would foster its stability and support mutual prosperity. It argues that, in light of the growing instability in Northern Africa and also many shared interests, the EU should take a greater interest in the Maghreb and place its relations with this region at the top of its agenda.

The bottom-up nature of the pro-democratic protests should induce the EU to rebuild its approach to the Maghreb to henceforth focus more on the complex human security. The research paper also calls upon the Central and Eastern European countries to launch an "experience sharing process" with the Maghrebian countries because they could provide a useful model for the democratic transition in this region.

The paper also raises the question of Western Sahara when it argues that finding the final solution to this long-drawn-out dispute between Morocco and Algeria would be a major boost for the stability and security in the Maghreb. The 2007 Moroccan autonomy initiative for the Western Sahara region, recently elaborated in a speech by Morocco's King Mohammed VI, could be seen as a credible alternative to the continuing deadlock.

The research paper 'The Changing Security Situation in the Maghreb' provides a unique and complex analysis of the recent situation in the Maghreb region from the European perspective. The full version of the research paper published by the Association for International Affairs is available at:

http://www.amo.cz/download.php?group=produkty1_soubory&id=365

The Association for International Affairs is a non-governmental organization, an independent think-tank, founded to promote research and education in the field of international relations. It creates a unique forum for expression, exchange and realization of ideas and projects to contribute to the general education, understanding and tolerance.

    Contact:

    Daniel Novotny
    Association for International Affairs Prague
    Zitna 27, 110 00 Prague 1
    Czech Republic
    e-mail: daniel.novotny@amo.cz
    Tel/Fax: +420-224-813-460
    http://www.amo.cz

SOURCE Association for International Affairs