Lisbon/Brussels, 24/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Council Antonio Guterres announced that he would begin consultations with the EU Heads of State and Government on bilateral sanctions imposed by the fourteen against Austria, but added that the sanctions "will not be modified as long as there is no consensus against it." However, we know in particular that France's position remains firm (see speech by Mr. Moscovici before the MEPs, in EUROPE of 12 May, p.6); among which, Tuesday, the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Louis Michel, asserted: "I do not see why this problem should be resolved in Feira (…) I hope that the Feira meeting will exclusively centre on the Feira agenda." As for the Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, he was "careful, very careful", while noting that presently there is a "chance" of movement.
Mr. Gusenbauer presented a plan to Germany, France and Belgium
The Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel reacted strongly to the initiatives taken by the leader of the main opposition party, the President of the Social Democrat party (SPÖ) Mr. Gusenbauer who presented to Mr. Jospin, Mr. Schröder and Mr. Michel a plan foreseeing the monitoring of possible racist or xenophobic behaviour in Austria, until next years elections at the Lander level. We are not allowing ourselves to be put in quarantine, commented Mr. Schüssel, who reproached Mr. Gusenbauer for acting in an "absolutely counterproductive" manner in the presently delicate circumstances, four weeks before the "decisive" summit in Feira. As for Susanne Riess-Passer, vice-chancellor and leader of FPÖ, she called on Mr. Gusenbauer to "remain, in the future, at home." The plan presented by Mr. Gusenbauer also foresees: - the lifting of bilateral sanctions in one year, if Austria renounces to holding a referendum on the sanctions; - the enforcement of plans against racism throughout the EU; - the organisation of a conference on racism and xenophobia in Vienna; - the modification of Article 7 of the EU Treaty (according to the suggestions made by Belgium).