In the Soup in West Europe: Big Chunk of the Alphabet

The CSCE summit will focus attention on various European organizations known by sometimes confusing and tongue-twisting titles. Here is a brief look at the ingredients in the alphabet soup:

CSCE--Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Formed in 1972 by all European nations except Albania plus the United States and Canada, with current membership totaling 34. In 1975, CSCE adopted so-called Helsinki Final Act: security and confidence-building measures, disarmament proposals, new agreements on human rights. Follow-up meetings were held in Belgrade, 1977; Madrid, 1980, and Vienna, 1986. The CSCE’s Secretariat will be in Prague; the full conference has no permanent home yet.

CFE--Conventional Forces in Europe talks. Held in Vienna since early 1989 under CSCE umbrella, they have now produced an unprecedented treaty reducing arms in Europe, to be signed today in Paris. Further talks on troop cuts will continue in Vienna.

EC--European Community, also known as Common Market and formerly called the European Economic Community; 12 members, with a waiting list. It seeks to remove trade barriers among its members. Headquarters: Brussels. Its European Parliament is based in Strasbourg, France.

NATO--North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Its 16 members, including the United States and Canada, provide for their common defense. Established in 1949 and viewed as successful in deterring Soviet Union from attack on Western Europe. Now seeking new role. Headquarters: Brussels.

WTO--Warsaw Treaty Organization. Usually known as Warsaw Pact, it was established in 1955 as Communist counterweight to NATO. Currently in disarray with disappearance of East Germany, it may soon be dissolved.

WEU--Western European Union. Established in 1948 as common defense organization but largely superseded by NATO. Now has nine members, all of them in NATO. New attempts have been launched to revivify WEU as European-based security arm of EC.

OECD--Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Originally an outgrowth of the Marshall Plan in Europe, it widened its membership to include all advanced industrial nations of the non-Communist world. The 24 members include Pacific nations such as Japan and Australia. Its aim is to achieve high economic growth, improved living standards and expansion of world trade. Headquarters: Paris.

Council of Europe--Set up in 1949, it currently has 24 members, most recently Hungary. It hopes to strengthen pluralist democracy and protect human rights. Most significant achievement is the European Court of Human Rights. Headquarters: Strasbourg.