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| BITS – Providing independent expertise to promote
cooperative security |
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Since its foundation in 1991 BITS has established a reputation for providing
independent expertise on military security issues, especially in the field of nuclear and
conventional disarmament and arms control, non-proliferation, and NATO-Russian relations.
BITS main goal is to promote cooperative security by stimulating a constructive dialogue
within and between governments, political parties, organizations and NGOs. |
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| BITS – Informing decision makers, the media and the public
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BITS informs politicians, government officials, NGOs, the media, and the general
public. To be able to provide up-to-date and comprehensive information BITS has
established a multinational and multi-disclipinary network of independent experts, who
monitor and analyse current events and political developments in the security field.
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| BITS – Dedicated to making an impact |
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BITS goes beyond simply giving information. BITS is dedicated to making an impact on
government policies. The center provides independent input at early stages of the
political process. Being well-connected in administrations, parties, and the media BITS is
able to influence political discussions before decisions are taken. By formulating policy
proposals with new approaches to manage security BITS offers new alternatives to
politicians and other decision makers. |
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| BITS – Research and information on the inside-track |
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BITS offers a wide range of publication
to its target audiences of politicians, government officials, decision makers and
journalists. Though the center lays an emphasis on shaping political dialogues, BITS
research publications are widely read among scholars on both sides of the atlantic. BITS
Research Reports give detailed background information on topical security issues. Shorter
BITS Research Notes present a concise summary of a security issue under discussion. BITS
Policy Notes are concerned with current political debates often suggesting innovative new
solutions. All of BITS publications profit from the center’s broad knowledege base
and its access to insider information. Readers are offered a cornucopia of expert
information which enables them to take an active part in the political discussion on
security issues. BITS authors do not exclusively write for the center. They have published
numerous books, journal articles and op-ed pieces for daily and weekly newspapers. BITS
researchers also regularly appear on TV and radio giving interviews and taking part in
discussion panels. The Newsletter of the Project
on European Nuclear Non-Proliferation (PENN) was also edited at BITS. |
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| BITS – Building networks to strenghten support for
cooperative security |
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BITS is part of an international network of security experts. BITS was the driving
force in the foundation of the Network for
European and Transatlantic Security (NETS). NETS brings together institutions doing
research on security issues from Austria, Belgium, England, Holland, Spain, Sweden and the
United States and has correspondents in Finnland, Norway, Russia and Switzerland. |
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| BITS – Projects for a safer world |
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At present BITS is working on five core projects. "The Task Force 19+1" is a nickname for a project on
NATO-Russia relations and the future of European security promoting cooperative and
collective security arrangements. The Project
on European Nuclear Non-Proliferation (PENN) monitors processes influencing nuclear
non-proliferation and disarmament in Europe. A third project promotes Asian-European
dialogue among NGOs Asian-European dialogue
among NGOs and concentrates on enhancing security in both regions. The multilateral
negotiations of the Conference of Disarmament are montitored by a BITS correspondent in
the Geneva project. The small arms and arms trade project does research on the arms trade
and explores options for arms control
and disarmament. |
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| BITS – Providing resources for journalists and scholars
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The BITS library and archives are open to
the public. The ressources are used by journalists, scholars, and students. A lot of the
source documents and information archived by BITS are rarely to be found elsewhere. The
BITS library contains more than 25.000 documents, official government reports and records
and so-called „grey literature", mainly in German, English and Russian. BITS
also has about 150 journals, magazines and newsletters as well as more than 5.000 books. |
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| BITS – Supported by renowned foundations and organizations
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BITS draws more than 90 percent of its funding from project designated grants by
renowned foundations like the Ford Foundation, the W. Alton Jones Foundation or the
Heinrich Böll Foundation. BITS also gets support from other NGOs and think tanks like
BICC, UNICEF, and Greenpeace with payments received for research. Furthermore the
BITS-Support Association, a tax-exempt membership organization and registered charity,
contributes to BITS finances. |
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