|
V. Austria's Relations with Neighbouring Countries
The Regional Partnership
On the initiative of Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner the foreign ministers of
Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia held their first
meeting within the framework of the Regional Partnership in Vienna on 6 June. The
Regional Partnership of Austria, the adjacent EU candidate countries and Poland is a
result and a continuation of the existing close cooperation between these states as well
as a bridge into a common future within the European Union. The countries of the region
have long since demonstrated their readiness and ability for successful cooperation, to
which the Regional Partnership should contribute a new dimension.
There are two phases. During the first phase, that of preparation for EU membership,
regional cooperation will be extended and intensified. In the second phase, after the
enlargement of the EU, there could be an identification of common interests and a joint
representation of these interests at European level. Combining the potential of the
members of the Regional Partnership should bring advantages for all - without operating
to the exclusion or disadvantage of others. The Partnership can be the foundation stone
of a successful common future for these countries within the European Union. Particular
areas of common interest are internal security, joint border commissions, consular
consultations, culture, high technology, infrastructure, and information on the enlargement
process. Other thematic complexes relate to the current European Councils as well as
consultations on future cooperation and the development of Europe generally.
The first follow-up conference of the Partnership, in Bratislava on 29 November, drew up
a balance of the areas of cooperation agreed at meetings of the ministers for home
affairs, economic affairs, foreign affairs, employment, agriculture and transport. Enhanced
cooperation and coordination of work programmes in the various fields was agreed -
partly in cooperation with the EU Commission and Presidency. Other themes dealt with
were EU enlargement, the future of Europe, and combating international terrorism after
the events of 11 September.
The Regional Partnership is paying particular attention to the issue of the international
visibility of its members as Central European countries, and thus to the joint presentation
of Central European culture and identity. At their first meeting in Vienna in June the
foreign ministers agreed to set up a platform entitled Central Europe - Culture to
undertake joint activities to demonstrate the cultural achievements of all the countries of
the Partnership. The first such event was held in Brussels on 10 December in the form of
a joint gala presentation of Central European literature and music with foreign ministers
and state secretaries from the Partnership countries.
South Tyrol
In the Italian parliamentary elections in May the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP), in
partnership with the centre-left parties, gained an additional seat in the parliament, giving
it three seats each in the lower chamber and in the Senate. The decisive factor here was
that, for the first time in such a clear form, Italians in South Tyrol voted in considerable
numbers for a member of the German-speaking group, and vice versa. This is viewed as
proof that constructive cooperation between the linguistic groups in South Tyrol is now a
reality. The large majority for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right government
means, however, that the influence exerted by South Tyrol's representatives in the Italian
parliament has been reduced.
After the election, Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs Benita Ferrero-Waldner visited
South Tyrol, thus underlining Austria's genuine interest in the autonomy of the Province of
Bolzano.
In high-level talks between Austrian and Italian politicians the Italian side left no doubt that
its policy towards South Tyrol would be marked by continuity, and that there would be no
change in the autonomy statute without the consent of the local population. Italian
President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi paid an official visit to South Tyrol in July, when he
commended its autonomy as an example of peaceful living together for the whole of
Europe. He expressly praised and supported trans-border cooperation between Tyrol,
South Tyrol and Trentino within the framework of the European Region Tyrol
(EUREGIO). In an obvious gesture, the Governor of the Austrian Federal Land of Tyrol
was invited to attend this visit to South Tyrol.
On 26 January the governors of the three provinces signed the Alpine Declaration of the
European Region Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino. This future-oriented cooperation covers
agriculture, nature protection, transport, culture and the economy. The latest exchange of
notes between Austria and Italy on the mutual recognition of academic degrees entered
into force on 1 March 2001. This step is of importance for South Tyroleans studying in
Austria.
In December the "Siegesplatz" (Victory Square) in the South Tyrolean capital of Bozen
was renamed the "Friedensplatz" (Peace Square), which could contribute to a relaxation
of tension over the Italian victory monument situated there.
In February a reform of the Italian constitution leading to numerous amendments
strengthening the South Tyrol autonomy statute entered into force. Amongst other
changes it brought the long-desired reform of the Trentino-South Tyrol Region,
considerably reducing its powers and at the same time increasing those of the two Länder
of South Tyrol and Trentino. For the first time, the German-language name Südtirol
entered the Italian constitution. The statute also provides more protection for the Ladin
ethnic population group.
Protection of the Environment
The safety of nuclear power stations situated in neighbouring countries near the
Austrian border has the highest priority for the Austrian Federal Government. After a year
of intensive negotiations, agreement was reached with the Czech Republic on an
information hotline and an early-warning system in respect of the Temelin nuclear pow er
station, as well as on an energy partnership, safety questions and an environmental
compatibility test. It was also agreed that the conclusions on safety standards and
environmental compatibility, and thereby the agreement of the Czech Republic, would be
written into the Republic's articles of membership of the European Union, thus making
them legally binding.
Austria supports the closure of nuclear plants in the EU candidate countries that cannot
be brought up to Western standards. €1.5m was made available for the Ignalina power
station in Lithuania, with further sums for the closure of Bohunice (Slovakia) and Kosloduj
(Bulgaria). Austria has also concluded nuclear information agreements with most of the
surrounding countries. The agreement with Switzerland entered into force on 1 January
2001. The purpose of such agreements is the timely exchange of information and
experience on nuclear safety and radiation protection, especially as regards limiting
cross-border effects of radiologic al dangers.
The main activity in connection with the Convention on the Protection of the Alps,
under Italian chairmanship in 2001/2002, was preparing for the establishment of its
permanent secretariat. A decision on its location, functions and size will be made at the
seventh Alpine Conference in the autumn of 2002. Austria has offered accommodation in
a famous historic building in Innsbruck. A working group under Swiss leadership made
good progress towards drafting a procedure for monitoring observance of the Convention
and its protocols.
The River Danube
It was not simply the free movement of traffic on the Danube that was interrupted by the
armed hostilities in South-Eastern Europe, but also a large number of other organic links
between the states of the region. This was the reason for the Danube Cooperation
Process that was inaugurated jointly by Austria, Romania, the EU Commission and the
Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe. Its object is to restore cooperation, repair the
broken networks, and thereby contribute to a comprehensive economic and political
stabilisation of the region. It does not involve the creation of a new organisation, but rather
the holding of a series of conferences to ventilate important issues, define objectives, and
develop programmes that can be implemented by existing institutions.
The Process encompasses all the countries with involvement in the drainage area of the
River Danube, including present and future EU members as well as partner countries in
the EU stabilisation and association process, amongst others. Its programme, covering
issues affecting the region as a whole, emphasises aspects like economic resuscitation,
reviving tourism, transport and navigation questions, environmental problems and cultural
cooperation. Preparations for the Process commenced in Vienna on 21 September 2001
with the intention that it would be formally inaugurated at a conference of foreign ministers
during the first half of 2002.
The restoration of the free movement of shipping was a main issue for the Danube
countries after navigation was blocked by the destruction of the bridges at Novi Sad
during the Kosovo conflict. In April the Danube Commission awarded the contract for
clearing the fairway to a Danish-Hungarian consortium. A provisional channel was
navigable by the end of November, with full clearance scheduled for mid-2002. The
opening of the emergency pontoon bridge to allow vessels to pass was gradually
increased from once every two or three weeks to three times weekly from March 2002.
Austria was involved at every stage, and the Austrian National Bank, as administrator of
the Vienna-based International Fund for Clearing the Navigation Channel of the Danube,
was able to secure almost all of the necessary €26m finance.
The Danube Commission, at its annual meeting on 2-10 April, opened membership to
other interested states, and granted observer status to France and Turkey. Applications
from the Netherlands and the Czech Republic were to be decided at the 2002 plenary
meeting, which marks the end of the Austrian presidency. The Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia paid its considerable arrears of contributions, and thereby averted a serious
financial crisis in the Commission. The highlights of the Austrian presidency were issues
of standardisation, the environment, and the networking of Europe's internal waterways,
in particular connections with the Elbe and Oder as well as the East European river
systems.
The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River was
established in 1998 under the terms of the 1994 Sofia agreement. Its membership
includes the European Commission and all the countries situated within the Danube
catchment area. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia and Ukraine are observers, but
Yugoslavia applied for full membership in 2002. Priority was given to the implementation
of the EU water directive, in pursuance of which Germany and Austria organised a joint
research voyage to ascertain the water quality from Regensburg on the upper reaches of
the river down to the Danube delta on the Black Sea. Other measures agreed at the
fourth meeting of the Commission in Vienna at the end of November included steps to
prevent extraordinary water pollution and to increase flood protection, on the basis of
guidelines drawn up by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
|
