After FPÖ accusations

Meinl-Reisinger: “It’s about Austria’s interests”

NEOS Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger also commented on the FPÖ's accusations in an interview with "ZiB".(Bild: ORF)

The newly appointed Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) once again countered the FPÖ's accusations on ORF on Sunday evening. After her trip to Ukraine, the blue party saw Austria's neutrality threatened.  

As in the "Krone" the day before, Meinl-Reisinger also rejected the FPÖ's accusations on "ZiB 2" that she had acted "like an EU or NATO envoy" during her recent visit to Ukraine and not "like the Foreign Minister of the perpetually neutral Austria".

"Absurd understanding of neutrality" of the FPÖ
This is an "absurd understanding of neutrality" that is not anchored in the constitution, argued the NEOS politician. "Military neutrality" does not mean "political neutrality". Ukraine is also fighting for the security of Europe and therefore for the security of Austrians. Austria's interests are also at stake here.

Ministers debate new Ukraine aid
Meinl-Reisinger will attend the EU Council of Foreign Ministers in Brussels for the first time on Monday. The main topic of discussion will be Ukraine, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pushing for billions in further aid. 

Other topics include relations with the USA against the backdrop of the trade conflict with President Donald Trump and the Middle East conflict. 

"Very unstable situation in Syria"
The meeting will be followed by a support conference for Syria in Brussels. This will focus on humanitarian aid for Syria and neighboring countries such as Turkey and Lebanon, which have taken in numerous refugees. The political situation following the fall of ruler Bashar al-Assad in December will also be discussed.

"As things stand today, we have to see how things develop," said Meinl-Reisinger in the ORF interview, assessing the situation in Syria. The latest incidents are "very shocking and worrying". The transition process in Syria must "include all sections of the population", demanded the Foreign Minister. An independent investigation is therefore necessary and those responsible must be held accountable. In general, there is a "very unstable situation" in Syria.

Most recently, there were attacks by Islamist militias on the Alawite ethnic group, to which Assad, who is in exile in Russia, also belongs, in the coastal region. More than a thousand people were killed.