Cooperation and association
There are numerous ways to define different cooperative formations in international politics and a large number of scholars and researchers have presented them (e.g. Stephen Walt, Hans Morgenthau, Kenneth Waltz, Roger Dingman etc).
On the other hand, for the purpose of this website, there is no need of elaborated, legally exact definitions but the general features and basic ideas behind each form of associations are sufficient for clarifying the principal differences between various engagements.
Generally, main forms of governmental engagement and association are strategic partnership, entente and alliance.