Austria in the United Nations

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Austria was already a member of the League of Nations in the interwar period . On December 14, 1955, the republic joined the United Nations .

The way to the United Nations

Austria joined the League of Nations in 1920. With the “ Anschluss ” to the German Reich , a state disappeared from the political map, but Austria's membership in the first World Peace Organization did not end. No institution in this organization has ever even dealt with the annexation of Austria to the German Reich.

On April 27, 1945, the restoration of the “Republic of Austria” was proclaimed, and the provisional state government installed soon afterwards expressed interest in being part of the newly formed United Nations. “Withdrawal of the occupation forces and membership in the United Nations” were the most important goals in the first decade after the end of the war.

The resolution for a formal application for membership in the United Nations was taken by the Austrian federal government on June 24, 1947. Due to resistance within the Security Council , especially on the part of the Soviet Union , accession was far from possible. The lack of a state treaty and thus the status of the country served as a reason for rejection, but in the background it was more the looming Cold War between East and West that delayed the accession of several states. However, Austria was granted an observer at UN headquarters in New York from September 1947 , and a full observer mission from June 1953. During this time Austria also gained access to some UN specialized agencies.

After a long struggle, the Austrian State Treaty was signed on May 15, 1955 by the occupying powers Great Britain , France , the Soviet Union and the USA on the one hand and Austria on the other, thus restoring a “sovereign, independent and democratic state”. Under the changed framework conditions and in an improved international political climate, the Security Council recommended the admission of a total of 16 states on December 14, 1955, and on the same day the General Assembly unanimously decided to admit Austria as a full 70th member alongside the other states.

neutrality

The Austrian neutrality had been a Soviet condition for the conclusion of the treaty and it was decided by the National Council on 26 October 1955 as the Federal Constitutional Law; one day after the last occupation soldier left Austrian territory. The law came into force on November 5, 1955 and declares permanent and armed neutrality . To this day, this forms an essential basis for Austria's sovereignty.

Shortly afterwards Austria was admitted to the United Nations as the first neutral state. The question of the compatibility of neutrality and UN membership contained a certain legal and political explosiveness, as this question was discussed very controversially at the time. The focus of the discussions in this regard was the participation of a neutral state in coercive measures by the Security Council, up to and including the use of military force, in accordance with Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

However, Austria endeavored at an early stage by means of an independent "neutrality variant" ( Bruno Kreisky ) to participate actively and energetically in the United Nations as a normal member.

Cooperation

The first permanent representative of Austria to the United Nations in New York began its work in March 1956. At the beginning Austria concentrated its activities on the plenary. After a certain cautious policy of neutrality in the first few years, activities in the General Assembly were steadily expanded from the mid- sixties .

The election of Kurt Waldheim as Secretary General of the United Nations in December 1971 could be seen as recognition of Austria's presence in the organization. In 1976 he was re-elected for a further five years, an election for a further period failed in 1981 due to resistance from the People's Republic of China .

The opening of the Vienna International Center in 1979, one of the four official seats of the UN, underscores Austria's strong ties with the United Nations.

Security Council

Austria's neutrality was becoming less and less of a problem, primarily due to the “sparing mention of its special status”. In the spring of 1970, the Kreisky government therefore decided to apply as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, because only this body has binding decision-making power. This decision was quite controversial domestically, but only represents a consistent continuation of the Austrian interpretation of neutrality.

On October 20, 1972, Austria was elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the period 1973/74. The head of the delegation, Peter Jankowitsch, defined the expected policy of the country in a declaration of neutrality as committed, but impartial. This first delegation had to deal with the Yom Kippur War (October 1973) and the Cyprus crisis (1974), among other things , and always took a clear position and abstained only twice.

In the course of the candidacy for a second period as a non-permanent member, the planned Austrian role in 1990 in the face of changing Europe as an active mediator with bridging, dialogue and compromise functions was outlined. In 1991 Austria returned to the Security Council for two years. At that time, a military decision was pending in the Second Gulf War between the aggressor Iraq and the international community. In addition to a series of regional conflicts, the crisis in Yugoslavia , i.e. in the immediate vicinity, also occurred during this phase . In the face of these dangerous crisis situations, Austria approved all 116 resolutions passed by the Council .

Austria tried again for a seat as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the period 2009/2010 and prevailed in the first ballot with 133 votes against the competitors Iceland and Turkey . The latter was chosen in the second ballot for the second non-permanent Security Council seat to be filled.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. official text of the Charter
  2. United Nations: Iran fails with application for Security Council . Spiegel online, October 17, 2008