“Austria deserves the truth: the current situation is untenable and dangerous. We therefore continue to insist on our minimum demands: a serious, nationwide, open-ended discussion regarding Austria’s foreign, security and defense policy future and the adoption of a new security doctrine that circumstances into account”, it says with regard to a first open letter last spring. In this they had called for a “debate without blinders” on neutrality, “led by an independent group of experts set up by the Federal President” and with broad participation from the population. This should then lead to the adoption of a new Austrian security doctrine.
In addition to numerous top diplomats and generals, the list of supporters also includes writers Robert Menasse and Doron Rabinovicithe former NEOS MP and German presidential candidate Irmgard Grissex-President of the National Council Heinrich Neisser (ÖVP), ex-defense minister Friedhelm Frischenschlager (FPÖ, today NEOS), AMS boss John’s headthe director of the Diplomatic Academy Emil BrixFormer “Presse” Editor-in-Chief Rainer NowakJournalist Robert MisikAuthor Ali Mahlodji and the former strategy advisor to ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Antonella Mei-Pochtler.
Addressees did not respond
The signatories complain that their demands have not been seriously considered by any of the addressees (Federal President, Federal Government, National Council and population) in the past few months. Although the “non-aligned friends Sweden and Finland” are now joining NATO and the neighboring countries Germany and the Czech Republic, who were similarly cautious towards Russia in the past, are sending weapons worth billions to Ukraine, Austria continues to act “as if the world stood still on February 23, 2022 “.
The latest budget increase for the army does not solve any problem. This is still “unprepared to seriously defend the homeland and to help other EU countries as promised”. “Our security policy position is ridiculed internationally by some, perceived by others as spineless,” it says with regard to neutrality, the abolition of which is not openly demanded, but which is clearly classified as “anachronistic”. The top politicians were told that they should “finally take these unpleasant questions seriously (…) and put them ahead of their own political calculations (…).”
Be “unworthy” for Austria
The writers of the open letter appeal to the population to discuss these important issues with other fellow citizens. “Many Austrians still seem to believe or hope that nothing has actually changed for our country, that we can stay out of all military conflicts and protect ourselves independently in the foreseeable future, that a peaceful foreign policy alone guarantees our security , and that our active participation in the stabilization of Europe is not required.” However, this idea contradicts global reality and is “dangerous for Austria as well as for Europe and unworthy of our self-confident and sovereign country,” according to the signatories, who specifically raise the question of how European defense will be guaranteed in the event of a US withdrawal as a protecting power can be.
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