International Conference: Current Security Challenges for the Western Balkan Region Addressed by Means of Joint Responsibility and Cooperation as threatening“Euro-Atlantic prosperity, security and stability,” 95 and most recently NATO announced that cyber attacks could lead to an invocation of Article 5, which declares that“an armed attack against one... shall be considered an attack against them all,” 96 and is the Alliance's core organizing principle of collective defense. 97 To the east of NATO, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization 98 – a group composed of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – signed an agreement on “Cooperation in the Field of International Information Security” in 2009; 99 and in 2011, Russia and China proposed an“International Code of Conduct for Information Security”. 100 Thus, there are some hints of emerging cyber alliances in the world today. Hopefully, this trend will tend not toward greater conict in cyberspace, but greater international security and stability. CONCLUSION: A REGIONAL CYBER CENTER IN THE BALKANS The way to make real progress on strategic regional geopolitical context is also necessary, cyber security, especially for small nations, is and only local experts can provide that. via international partnerships. In this light, the There should be no fear of being“behind” in Balkan countries would be wise to create a cyber security expertise or experience. All regional center of computer security expertise, nations are just now beginning to address with a future-oriented mission of conict resolution in cyberspace. 67 strategic cyber security issues. The Balkans are a microcosm of the wider world, and could easily become a role model in the global cyber At a tactical, technical level, the center should security domain. Small countries such as focus on defending the region's computer Estonia, Israel, Iceland, and Finland have proven networks from attacks. Proactively, it should that small nations can make large contributions offer cyber security education in“best in this dynamic eld, where everything is by practices” as well as more advanced technical nature asymmetric. training. Reactively, it should employ a multi­national forensics team that can deploy in the The center's staff should hail from every event of a crisis, with the authority to openly country in the Balkans. However, the center publish the results of an investigation. At the could have a virtual“home” in cyberspace – strategic level, the center would become a thus keeping overhead costs to a minimum. Its magnet for economic investment in international training program should be shared, open, efforts to promote information technology and objective, and rigorous. A strong, internationally cyber security. based core of subjects and certications could help to unify the personnel and program. One of Cyber conicts do not occur in a vacuum; they the center's primary goals should be to develop are reections of the traditional conicts that trust, both within the institution and from the have always plagued humans, even before the perspective of the outside world. During times rise of nation-states. Of course, objective of crisis, the personal and professional technical expertise will be the foundation of any relationships developed at the center over time such project, but a good understanding of the would become invaluable assets. 96 “The North Atlantic Treaty,”(4 April 1949) Washington D.C., NATO website: www.nato.int. 97 Freedberg, S.(7 Nov 2014)“NATO Hews To Strategic Ambiguity On Cyber Deterrence,” Breaking Defense. 98 “Nurgaliyev urges common SCO approaches to cyber crime,” Voice of Russia(28 Apr 11). 99 Cheng, Gracye, Cohen, Morgan, Green, Josh, Oliveira, Carlos& Stadnyk, Mark.“Responses to Questions Posed by CNAS on International Law& Internet Freedom,” The Harvard Law National Security Research Group www.law.harvard.edu. 100 “An International Code of Conduct for Information Security – China's perspective on building a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace,”(10 Feb 2014) http://www.unidir.ch/les/conferences/pdfs/a-cyber-code-of-conduct-the-best-vehicle-for-progress-en-1-963.pdf