The Security Perception and Security Policy of Austria, 1989 - 2017 (original) (raw)

Austrian Security Policy Documents – a Walk on a Tightrope between Neutrality and International Solidarity

Academic and Applied Research in Military and Public Management Science

After achieving the Vienna State Treaty, Austria had to develop its security policy missing fundamental documents. The first main document was the constitutional law on neutrality, which was passed by the Austrian parliament on 26th October, 1955. Even before that, the Austrian defence law was approved on 5th September, 1955. Although Austria promised in the Moscow Memorandum to pursue a neutrality policy like Switzerland, the Austrian policy left this line by becoming a member of the UN in 1955. So the Austrian security policy started to walk a tightrope between neutrality and international solidarity because of her UN membership and membership in other organisations like EU or NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) later on. This essay emphasizes the steps of amendments, which were made in the Austrian constitution and her policy during almost 60 years with respect to international security policy and Austrian participation in international operations. The aim of this essay is to point ...

Security perception and security policy in Central Europe, 1989–2019

Defense & Security Analysis

Two major factors determine a state's foreign policy and international ambition: its perception of the security environment and the capabilities it possesses. The current special issue that the reader holds in their hand, entitled Security Perception and Security Policy in Central Europe, provides an overview of how these two factors. By extension, state-level foreign policies have varied in Central and Eastern Europe in; and the post-Cold War era. The contributing authors to this special issue take a deep dive into nine Central and Eastern European states' policies: Austria, Croatia,

Using military force in international operations in relation to the Austrian security policy

2014

Austrian foreign policy has been determined by neutrality since the Austrian State Treaty of 1955. During the years from 1955 until now, interpretations of Austrian neutrality have changed according to practical politics. As early as in 1955, by joining the UN, Austria left the path of pursuing the specific understanding of neutrality that followed the Swiss model, because at that time Switzerland rejected UN membership as incompatible with its neutrality. Since Austria joined the European Union in 1995, Austrian security policy has changed considerably in terms of content and legal formality. For that reason, the concept of neutrality had to change, too. As the EU member states have been in the process of developing a common European security and defence policy (CSDP), Austria has had to reconcile being a member of the EU and, at the same time, being a neutral state. The PhD Thesis stresses the three periods of Austrian neutrality policy focusing on participation in international operations by the Austrian Armed Forces: a) Classic neutrality policy b) “Active” neutrality policy created by the Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky c) Security policy between the poles of neutrality and solidarity during the period from 1995 to 2010.

Change of Neutrality - The Case of Finland and Austria: An Approach to Foreign Security Cooperation within the EU and NATO

Obrana a strategie (Defence and Strategy)

Occasional Papers are essays that the Institute considers should be made available, as a contribution to the debate on topical European security issues. They will normally be based on work carried out by researchers granted awards by the Institute; they represent the views of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute or of the WEU in general. Publications of Occasional Papers will be announced in the Institute's Newsletter, and they will be available on request, in the language used by the author. They can also be accessed via the WEU website: www.weu.int/institute/

Pursuing Austria’s interests at the Munich Security Conferences

Przegląd Zachodni, 2024

The article attempts to examine how Austria’s interests and goals were presented at the annual meetings of the Munich Security Conferences in comparison to the WEF gatherings in Davos, which have been organized since the 1960s to discuss international politics. Austria’s status as a small, stable and neutral state has conditioned its diplomatic efforts at the Munich Security Conferences as well as in international politics. Austrian politicians actively engage in the conferences, presenting Austria’s interests and political goals that follow from current issues, including the Russian-Ukrainian war and the migration crisis. The article examines the activity of Austria’s leading politicians, Sebastian Kurz, Katrin Kneissl and Alexander Schallenberg, through the lens of Austria’s standing and image abroad. It also analyses Austria’s discourse at the post-2015 Munich Security Conference. The author of the article decided to verify the hypothesis that the rhetoric presented at the Munich meetings aligned with the Austrian government’s stated and carried out policy in other international fora. The second hypothesis postulated that despite the fact that Austria’s participation in the Munich Security Conferences was meant to enhance Austria’s favorable reputation internationally, it was criticized, particularly with regard to Austria’s stance towards Russia. The method of analyzing strategic documents and the discourse of politicians at the post-2015 Munich Security Conferences was used. Contextual analysis was also helpful in determining the circumstances and background against which Austrian politicians made their security policy statements.

European Union Security Policy: Historical Retrospection

Міжнародні відносини, суспільні комунікації та регіональні студії, 2017

The EU security policy is an inseparable part of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy elaborated within the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. Sucurity and defence issues are quite vulnerable for any state sovereignty that is why it took Member Statets rather long time to agree on principles, directions and priorities of their common security policy as well as on cooperation with the NATO. With the development of the European Community, in the sphere of security policy a number of structures were established and a number of principled documents were adopted. The article researches the evolution of the EU security policy influenced by external cgallenges and threats

The security perception and security policy of Hungary, 1989–2018

Defense & Security Analysis, 2020

Between 1989 and 2018, the basic characteristics of the security perception of the Hungarian society remained constant, but significant changes occurred in the realm of security policy. The security perception of the Hungarian society retained its multidimensional character, while non-military dimensions became increasingly predominant. As a consequence of the changing strategic environment and the country's accession to NATO, Hungary became a more active actor in international security policy, albeit with strict limitations on the use of force. The changes in Hungary's foreign policy orientation after the end of the Cold War can be best described as a gradual and consistent shift towards Euro-Atlantic integration, facilitated by both external and internal factors. Furthermore, the Hungarian Defence Forces began their transformation from a Soviet-type mass army into a Western-type of expeditionary model of armed forces, that has been further accelerated by a new large-scale modernisation programme since 2016.

Features of Security and Defense Policy Formation in Eu

Наукові перспективи (Naukovì perspektivi)

The work is devoted to the research of a complex of problems of the European security policy, in particular the analysis of the new challenges to the priority directions of its development. The conceptual justification for the development of European integration in the field of security and defense policy are EU strategies developed in accordance with current challenges and threats. It is proved that the real institutional changes in the EU's foreign policy took place after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the establishment of the European External Action Service. The EU's common security and defense policy is a form of cooperation between EU states in the field of security and defense within the EU. It also includes a set of measures in the field of EU security and defense capability, compatible with NATO activities, for the implementation of which organizational structures and own operational capabilities have been established to carry out peacekeeping, conflict prevention and international security operations in accordance with UN Charter. The study of various aspects of the phenomenon of EU security policy should be systematized according to the following methodological approaches:-the theory of behaviorism is based on the concept of security basic values of society. Security is one of the values of the state and objectively reflects the absence of threats to the basic values of society, and subjectively-the lack of fear about the possibility of their destruction; the school of political realism interprets the concept of security through the prism of national interests. In fact, international politics seeks to achieve