In the early summer of 2008, before the crisis erupted in Georgia, the Russian President suggested that discussions should start on a new pan-European security treaty. This initiative, which remains rather vague in substance, has been received with varying degrees of enthusiasm by other countries. When the geographical area and the aim of the proposed treaty are taken into account, it would seem that the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the best forum for discussion and preparation of such a document, albeit the last summit was held in Istanbul in 1999.