Austrian Foreign Minister Spindelegger on the London Conference: „Failure in Afghanistan would have far-reaching consequences”
Foreign Minister: Austria will contribute in concrete terms
Vienna, 27 January 2010 – “The international community’s continuing support for Afghanistan remains vital. Failure in Afghanistan would have far-reaching consequences – also for us in Europe”, as the Foreign Minister Spindelegger stressed before the London Conference convening in London tomorrow. The conference will address the topics of security, development and governance, as well as a regional framework and the international architecture. Representatives of 79 states and international organizations are expected to attend, among them UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Austria will be represented by the Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs Johannes Kyrle.
“Austria will contribute to the international stabilization efforts. We will focus on the areas of rule of law and capacity-building of police structures,” Spindelegger explained. Austria will make available € 1 Million for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. This has been agreed by the government this week. This aid will be sourced from the overseas emergency relief fund, and channelled through the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Furthermore, in the coming weeks the government will make a decision on contribution of Austrian personnel for the Afghan police training effort.
In addition to these measures, Austria is planning to step up its engagement in UNODC’s anti-corruption programme, UN anti-mining efforts, and also Afghanistan programmes of the OSCE. Austria will also take an active part in the implementation of the results of the London Conference. The Foreign Ministry will organise – jointly with the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination at Princeton University – an Implementation Conference in February.
Spindelegger said that “Long-term stabilisation in Afghanistan requires a broad approach. Our success will also depend crucially on the efficient working together of all players in security and development” and he stressed that security and developments efforts are mutually supportive. “Any international support can only be sustainable when it is being shouldered by our Afghan partners as well. Without stronger responsible ownership “project Afghanistan” cannot succeed.”
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