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Important arms control agreements were signed by the organization in 1990 and again in 1992. The first, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe limits non-nuclear ground and air forces from the Atlantic to the Ural Mountains. The latter was a comprehensive document and confidence and security-building measures and an open skies treaty.
Beginning in 1992 the organization committed its members to early warning, conflict-prevention and crisis management. Under terms of this agreement conflict-prevention and crisis-management missions are sent to areas of potential or actual conflict. Long term missions, as of May 1995, were working in Skopje (Macedonia), Georgia, Estonia, Moldova, Latvia, Tajikistan, Sarajevo, and Ukraine. Their mandate corresponds to the general principles of a culture of peace. It is tailored to each local situation and generally calls for the establishment of good contacts with local representatives and the further strengthening of dialogue, once it has been started, between the parties concerned.
Conflict prevention work is usually 'invisible' - receiving little note in the media in comparison with situations of violent conflict. Therefore, it is useful to study how a typical conflict prevention mission operates. The following excerpt from the OSCE annual report describes the work in 1994 of the mission to Skopje, Macedonia, which was deployed to help avoid a spillover of the war in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. In an increasingly complex political environment, the Mission maintains good contacts with all parties and groups. In June, the Mission assisted the authorities and the Council of Europe in the holding of the long awaited census. Through its permanent presence it has contributed to the creation of a broad political acceptance for the census by all ethnic groups and to its overall successful implementation. In October, the Mission played an active role in presidential/parliamentary elections, providing, inter alia, co-ordination and consultancy to international observers and trying to ensure the representative and democratic character of both rounds of the elections.'
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Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
17. The participating States commit themselves to co-operate, including through development of sound economic and environmental conditions, to counter tensions that may lead to conflict. The sources of such tensions include violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms and of other commitments in the human dimension; manifestations of aggressive nationalism, racism, chauvinism, xenophobia and anti semitism also endanger peace and security.
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With the end of the Cold War, regional organizations have been able to extend their actions for peace, contributing to economic, political and military security, to economic conversion, and to international solidarity among their citizens breaking new ground for the construction of a culture of peace.