From 13th to 14th January, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg participated in the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers (Gymnich) in Brest. The Foreign Minister’s discussions with his counterparts focussed on the security situation in Eastern Europe.
Austria in particular, given its own history, can never accept attempts in Europe to shift borders by force of arms. There is no doubt about it: When it comes to Europe’s security, we must talk with the Europeans rather than about the Europeans. The main vehicle here is the OSCE,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg during the meeting in France.
The recently initiated talks were important, he said – both between the United States and Russia as well as within NATO, and OSCE also plays an important role. All of the actors who signed the Helsinki Act in 1975 agreed to protect the sovereign equality and inviolability of other states’ territories. In his dealings with Russia, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg relies upon dialogue that is based on clear values:
Dialogue, yes, but not threats to shift borders with tanks and rockets. The sovereignty of Ukraine is absolutely non-negotiable,
said Foreign Minister Schallenberg.
We cannot turn back the clock, he noted; a “Yalta 2.0” that goes over the heads of the people is not possible in the 21st century. The main priority is to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, and Austria is actively working to find a solution here.
Foreign Minister Schallenberg called the hacker attack on Ukrainian government websites “incredibly concerning”. A cyberattack could easily be a precursor to military activities. Relations with Russia and developments in the Ukraine crisis must be watched very carefully, he said. A shared strong language and response from the European Union are required.
As long as we are still talking to each other, all hope is not lost. But this situation is more serious than anything we have seen in the last few years,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in reference to the Ukraine crisis.
Regarding the recent developments in Kazakhstan, he welcomed the start of the gradual withdrawal of foreign troops that the government had called in.
In the past we have seen that guests called into the country, for instance Russian troops, often stay longer than the host would have liked. What Kazakhstan really needs is a national dialogue a eye level, with the people who clearly have real concerns and economic problems,
said Foreign Minister Schallenberg.
In light of the tense relationship between some EU states and China, he showed a clear commitment to creating a strong community of values:
It is important for us to stand together and not permit a divide and conquer approach, regardless of whether it is from Russia or China. We are a community, and we need to act like one at the international level as well. With regard to China, we have partners like Australia, Canada and New Zealand to help create a phalanx of the free world, one that will not allow states propagating different value models to break up this unit”.
