The founding idea of the project was a reflection of Bulgaria’s Euro-Atlantic choice. By its implementation the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria aspired to have a considerable and useful contribution to the achievement of a goal we perceive as a priority on the Euro-Atlantic agenda, especially in the light of new challenges to global security and the ongoing antiterrorist campaign in particular – enhancing the Alliance’s capacity to counter threats to peace and reassert itself as both the main generator and guarantor of peace and stability. In pursuit of such an objective, we tried to identify more avenues for co-operation within the region of South East Europe and between South East Europe, NATO and its member states and the new invitees, the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the South East Co-operative Initiative (SECI) etc.

The main goals were providing situation analyses of the regional capacity to contribute to solving the security risk throughout the Euro-Atlantic space, including evaluation of the existing infrastructure in South East Europe; Bulgaria and Romania, Greece and Turkey and the consolidation of NATO’s Southern Flank; Making comparative assessments on national implementations of the UN Security Council Resolutions; Creating inter- and intraregional co-operative networks among policy-makers, opinion-makers, NGOs, the media and the academia, thus creating a pool of knowledge to fight the security risks of the wider nature; Publishing and distributing comparative surveys and policy papers to be presented to Government officials, Parliaments, the media, think tanks, etc.; Elaborating a media strategy to promote Bulgaria’s contribution in strengthening the Transatlantic link and countering terrorist and other non-military security risks; Examining the credibility of NATO aspirants and prospective new members, and their readiness to pursue NATO compatible reform plans whilst the Alliance itself is fine-tuning its forces, command structures and missions to the Post-September 11 world.

Specific activities undertaken in the framework of the project were: two regional round tables focusing on a number of questions related to two major topics: Bulgaria and Romania, Greece and Turkey: Consolidating NATO’s Southern Flank; and the US’ Role in Regional Co-operation in South East Europe: Challenges Ahead after Prague on the Way to NATO and EU; three local seminars entitled: Managing the pre-accession post-Prague period: Challenges Ahead; Atlantic Academy: a series of public lectures, featuring guest speakers both from Bulgaria and abroad.