2023-06-14 09:54:25
Austria wants to participate in the NATO training and advisory mission in Iraq (NMI). The Council of Ministers in Vienna accepted a request from Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) on Wednesday. The Federal Army is said to be involved in the mission with up to ten military personnel, the Foreign Ministry said. The appointment can take place following the approval of the Main Committee of the National Council, which will next meet on June 22nd.
In connection with neutral Austria’s participation in a NATO mission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to its long-standing commitment as part of the NATO initiative “Partnership for Peace”. The basis under international law for Austria’s participation in the NMI is therefore UN Security Council Resolution 2249 of November 20, 2015. It called on all UN member states to “prevent and suppress” terrorist acts in Iraq. At the time, the resolution referred to measures once morest the jihadist militia “Islamic State” (IS) and similar groups in Iraq and Syria. The IS had conquered large parts of Syria and Iraq from 2014, but was defeated in Iraq at the end of 2017 and in Syria in 2019.
Foreign Minister Schallenberg and Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) welcomed the decision and emphasized the importance of Austria’s engagement in Iraq, also for national security. “Positive developments in Iraq show that the situation on the ground has become more stable in recent years. The terrorist group Islamic State has been shaken to its foundations, but not completely destroyed. The fragile security situation and the weakness of state institutions continue to be a breeding ground for extremism, Terrorism and illegal migration. We must not overlook the fact that these developments can also spread to us in Europe. By participating in the training and education mission, Austria can make a significant contribution to more security and stability,” said the minister.
“Iraq is a key factor for stability in the region. Iraq’s security therefore also has a direct impact on Europe and Austria. With our participation in the NATO training mission, we support our Iraqi partners in the fight once morest terrorism and thus also combat the causes of flight and illegal migration from the region,” emphasized Schallenberg.
According to the broadcast, the Foreign Minister wants to travel to Iraq this year to officially open the Austrian embassy there. Austria has been diplomatically represented in Baghdad once more since September 2022.
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