Vienna, 18/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The governors of the nine Austrian Laender unanimously adopted a resolution in Vienna on Wednesday demanding the lifting of bilateral sanctions against Austria decided on 31 January by the other fourteen members of the European Union. The resolution is to be handed in to the Austrian Government, the President of the EU Council and the President of the Commission.
The resolution was approved by the six OVP governors, that of the FPO (Jorg Haider, in Carinthia) as well as by the two SPO governors, whereas at national level the Social-Democrat opposition has not associated itself with the campaign launched by the government against the sanctions of the Fourteen (see EUROPE of 8/9 May, page 7, regarding the action plan adopted by the government). After the vote, the Governor of Vienna, Michael Haeupl, said that the resolution backed all the efforts of the Schuessel Government aimed at securing the lifting of sanctions and calling for a transparent and valid system for all EU Member states to be adopted in their place, and that, at the same time, it condemns racism and xenophobia and confirms Austria's attachment to Europe and the enlargement of the European Union.
Denmark prepared to relax sanctions, but not unilaterally
Thursday, Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said that Denmark would be prepared to relax sanctions against Austria, but that "it would not go it alone" and would not lift sanctions unilaterally. "That will not be now, it will take time", he added.