The first section addresses the important and varied range of security threats to this area of the world and, and examines the range of responses open to European countries and to the US. Threat, such as ethnic conflict, transnational crime and environmental energy security issues, are examined in depth. The second section addresses an important theoretical issue, namely the role that international institutions can perhaps play as arbiters of conflict and facilitators of co-operation in a region abutting the European political space. The role of the OSCE, NATO, the EU, the CIS and the Black Sea Economic Co-operation Council are consequently examined closely.