Focus on neutrality

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Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Luxembourg on Monday

(Bild: APA/BMEIA/MICHAEL GRUBER)

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg's trip to Switzerland was delayed on Tuesday. The reason was a technical fault on the plane. The ÖVP politician was rebooked onto another plane.

A meeting with his counterpart Ignazio Cassis and a visit to the Swiss army's new cyber combat command are planned on site. The topic of neutrality will also be the focus of Schallenberg's visit following the "recent flare-up of the neutrality debate in Switzerland".

Like Austria, Switzerland wants to participate in the German air defense initiative European Sky Shield (ESSI). The government in Bern has already approved the declaration of accession to the ESSI Memorandum of Understanding. Austria and the other participating states intend to sign the declaration.

Modern air defense also a topic
The importance of modern air defense will also be discussed in light of the escalation in the Middle East. Drone defense in particular has recently become increasingly important, not only with regard to Iran's attack on Israel, but also due to more frequent incidents in civil aviation.

According to the Foreign Ministry, there are around 50 incidents in civil aviation in Austria alone every year, including broken contact with pilots.

Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg on Monday in Luxembourg

(Bild: APA/BMEIA/MICHAEL GRUBER)

Neutrality is "nothing rigid"
 Schallenberg made it clear before his departure that neutrality is "nothing rigid" for him. It is "misinterpreted" in domestic politics in both Switzerland and Austria, the minister told journalists. This "ostrich policy of burying one's head in the sand and believing that we will then be safe" does not work. "We don't want to live in a world where the law of the jungle applies."

"Neutral is not indifferent," continued Schallenberg. "We were never neutral in terms of values and never neutral in terms of opinion," the minister referred to the Hungarian uprising of 1956, for example. The red line is international law.

Russia also recently criticized Swiss neutrality. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Switzerland of not being neutral, but hostile, because it supports the sanctions against Russia.

Austrians adhere to neutrality
According to a survey by the Foreign Ministry, Austrians see neutrality as part of Austria's identity. This allows Austria to act as a mediator and makes our country an attractive location for international organizations. According to the survey, 75 percent do not want to give up neutrality.

However, the majority of respondents do not believe that neutrality protects Austria from attack by other states. In the event of an attack, they expect support from EU partners. In return, however, they do not want to provide such support. The deployment of troops is out of the question for very few. More than two thirds stated that Austria would have to invoke neutrality in the event of an armed attack on an EU country.