European Union as a piece project

The paper attempts to analyze the EU as a peace project by depicting its principles, strategy and practice of conflict resolution. The justification for such an approach the author finds in the fact that the EU has self-defined itself as a peace project, in the interrelations of its economic/social and peace project, as well as in the new wave of risks and threats that are once again putting to test the capacities of EU to act as a significant global actor of peaceful conflict resolution. The author describes the evolution of the peace project, and in particular the role conflicts in ex-Yugoslavia had in moving the focus of the European politics from the principle of prevention toward the principle of intervention, from the civilian to the military dimension. Taking as an example the relationship of EU toward the Israel/Palestinian conflict, the Cyprus conflict, the problem of secession in Moldova, missions in the Balkans and Africa, toward the Iranian nuclear program and terrorism, the author indicates the degree of consistency and achievement of EU as a peace project. The author concludes that the EU is facing a strategic choice whether it will remain primarily a civilian power, or it will seek to reach the military power of USA and develop into a superpower increasingly using military intervention as an instrument of conflict resolution and protection of its interests