For the last decade, the dramatic events in eastern and central Europe have (rightly)
dominated the security debate in Europe and, indeed, the wider world. One of the
consequences of this has been that the traditional neglect of the Mediterranean region has
been compounded. However, there are now signs-notably the recent Barcelona conference
at which the European Union's Mediterranean policy was relaunched and extended (to incorporate the grand design of a Mediterranean free trade area) - that the Mediterranean is, at last, receiving some of the attention it deserves and justifies.peer-reviewe