Expressions used in this Plan which carry a gender denotation, regardless of whether they are used in the masculine or feminine gender, encompass the male and female gender equally. SECURITY STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK The global strategic environment is marked by highly dynamic political, social and economic changes that result in the shift of power and influence generating new instabilities, divisions, competitions and opposition of the global actors. In a narrow security sense, the environment was characterized by disruption of security by non-traditional security threats, such as new forms of international terrorism, trans-border organized crime, and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, disruption of energy supply systems, potential dangers from missile and cyber-attacks, and piracy. Although the probability of conventional and nuclear attack on the European Union and NATO member states is not high, primarily due to their capabilities for defense and deterrence built through the combined efforts of the Allies, instabilities arising in the close vicinity of the Allies’ borders could have far-reaching impacts on the global security architecture, thus reaffirming the importance of a balanced approach to the Alliance’s core tasks – Collective Defense, Crises Management and Cooperative Security. Numerous conflicts and crisis areas, emerging failed and unstable states and various types of threats caused by the rise of extremist ideologies impose the need for the development of key capabilities and launching of international operations directed towards improving security. An effective response to a broad spectrum of global threats is possible only through a strong and comprehensive cooperation with the Allies and Partners, and through integration of civilian and military capabilities. The tasks that are set before the Armed Forces impose the need for their further transformation and modernization, i.e. building and development of capabilities for a balanced approach to the Alliance’s core tasks. In order to respond to modern challenges and threats, the Armed Forces should be capable of performing non-traditional tasks. They should be adjustable, mobile, interoperable, deployable and sustainable in the Area of Operations. Armed conflicts from the recent past that took place in the Southeast European Region have been replaced by a wide range and an extensive network of multilateral and bilateral cooperation. This has mostly been a result of a strong influence of external factors and aspirations of all countries in the Region to establish close connections with the Euro-Atlantic com- 9