Brussels, 08/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - "I have come to Brussels primarily to discuss the situation in Austria as a member of the European Union, following the decisions adopted by the Fourteen on 31 January, and to ask the Commission to advise us and support us in our efforts to deal with today's difficult situation", declared the President of the Austrian Republic, Thomas Klestil, speaking to the press on Wednesday after his meetings at the European Commission.
Mr Klestil, welcoming the opportunity to hold dialogue with the Commission, added: "We agreed to pursue this dialogue".
Romano Prodi stated at the same press conference that he had first held a private meeting with the Austrian President, who then had a "long meeting" with the entire Commission (Mr Prodi then had lunch with Mr Klestil). Recalling that the Commission had already had visits by Messrs Aznar, Blair, D'Alema and Ciampi, Mr Prodi stated: "We spoke about Lisbon, the IGC and enlargement, but obviously we focused in particular on relations between Austria and the EU in the light of recent events."
Once again, Mr Prodi recalled that the Commission had approved the "clear signal" sent by the Fourteen on 31 January last, but that it had also confirmed its will to play a special role as "guarantor" of the institutions and Treaties. And he asserted: "I repeated to President Klestil that we would be vigilant about Austria's respect for the rights of individuals and minorities and Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty, but that our role is not to isolate a Member State but to ensure that dialogue is not interrupted, that bridges are not burnt." The Commission does not need to raise its voice, it has a powerful weapon, a big stick, the Treaties", said Mr Prodi, repeating: "We will be inflexible over any violation of Europe's values but we will be equally inflexible in guaranteeing the rights of Austrian citizens and enterprises."
The decisions taken by the Fourteen are bilateral, but their practical implementation has shown that, in many areas, it is "impossible to make a distinction" between what is bilateral and what is Community business, President Klestil told the press. "I have also come to Brussels to confirm Austria's strong attachment to the European Union", he added, noting that a recent poll shows that two thirds of the Austrian population still favours membership in the Union (whereas the measures by the Fourteen could have given rise to different reactions).
The Austrian President, who recalled that, on his initiative, the ÖVP and the FPÖ signed a declaration reiterating their attachment to European values (see EUROPE of 5 February, pages 3 and 4) stated: "You can count on me to guarantee respect for this declaration." At the same time, Thomas Klestil said his duty is also to oppose "unjustified criticisms of Austria and its people" and he called for objectivity and a spirit of fairness. "I have also come to Brussels to appeal to the institutions to give this government a chance to be judged on its work", he continued, noting that the present situation is "unpleasant" for everyone, not just for Austria and that the objective of all Fifteen should be to "find an early solution".
Mr Klestil, who noted that the Commission acted "correctly", whereas the Fourteen reacted "politically or politico-emotionally", stated that the decisions taken at the highest level by the Fourteen on 31 January raise a problem that goes beyond the Austrian situation, the problem of the "legal strength of such a decision in the future". If a situation is created where mere "suspicions" of conduct that runs counter to European values lead to measures, there needs to be discussion as Fifteen, said Mr Klestil.
Answering questions, Mr Prodi said it is false to say that Austria was attacked because it is a small country: "Our position is valid for all the Member States", he asserted, noting that he was also thinking of a European Union of 28 countries, where there will be elections of great political import almost every month. "We are not putting Austria through an examination, nor are we doing so with candidate countries", explained Mr Prodi, adding, "but we wish to ensure that the Community acquis, the body of rules that disciplines our lives, becomes something common to us all". Political events in Austria will not slow enlargement of the EU, affirmed Mr Prodi in answer to questions. And Mr Klestil recalled that, since he became President of the Austrian Republic in 1992, he has always worked "very actively" in favour of EU enlargement because he looks forward to Austria not being "a country on the fringe, but a country at the heart of Mitteleuropa".