Austria's Schallenberg Calls for New EU Course in Syria and Criticizes Israeli Occupation
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is calling for a more pragmatic approach from European foreign policy in dealing with Syria and is positioning himself on the side of international law with his criticism of Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights. His demands have met with mixed reactions within the EU, but also raise fundamental questions about Europe's role in the region. Whether this course will endure remains uncertain given Austria's often cautious foreign policy.
Schallenberg calls for an EU dialog with Syria and a special envoy, but remains pragmatic. It is uncertain whether this course will be continued. / Picture: © BMEIA Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres / Michael Gruber / Flickr Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Schallenberg is calling for a fundamental overhaul of Europe's Syria policy. Given the change of power in Syria, in which the regime of Bashar al-Assad was replaced by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), it is necessary to enter into contact with the new rulers. “Europe should not make the same mistake as in Afghanistan and self-righteously draw red lines before we even talk to anyone,” said Schallenberg in an interview with the ‘Presse’. He called for the European principles of dialog and pragmatism to be upheld.
A central point of ÖVP foreign policy is the reopening of the Austrian embassy in Damascus. This had been closed during the civil war but is currently operating from Beirut with two local employees. As soon as the security situation allows, the embassy should be fully operational again. Schallenberg also supports the deployment of an EU special envoy to negotiate with the Syrian transitional government on the ground, as reported by "Der Standard".
Criticism of Israeli occupation of Syrian territories
Schallenberg sharply criticized Israel's occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights. “I consider this to be neither wise nor compatible with international law,” he declared, as reported by "DiePresse". He expressed particular disapproval of the plans to double the number of Israeli settlers in the Golan Heights. The Golan Heights, a strategically important area, was conquered by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1981. This annexation is still not recognized by the international community. According to Schallenberg, this policy does not contribute to Israeli security.
Relaxation of EU sanctions against Syria?
A possible easing of EU sanctions against Syria is another central topic of the current debate,. Schallenberg is in favor of gradually lifting sanctions if Syria shows measurable progress in the area of minority protection and political reforms. “We should also pragmatically offer to lift the sanctions step by step if Syria moves in the right direction,” said Schallenberg, as reported by "DiePresse". However, he believes that a complete lifting of sanctions would only make sense under clear conditions.
Position on UN resolutions and Gaza ceasefire
Schallenberg also made it clear that Austria had never rejected a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. In the most recent UN vote, Austria voted in favor of a ceasefire resolution, which has not always been the case in the past. He emphasized that Austria had previously only rejected resolutions that did not condemn terrorist acts or take hostage-taking into account. “This time, the resolution was more sensibly drafted,” Schallenberg explained, as reported by "DiePresse".
Schallenberg's call for “real politics”
Schallenberg positions himself as a realist in the foreign policy debate, as reported by “DerStandard”. “My business is the real world, not wishful thinking,” he told Der Standard. Human rights and democracy must always remain part of European values, but should not get in the way of pragmatism in diplomacy. In his opinion, 140 of the 192 countries in the world tick differently than Europe. The EU must face up to this reality and adapt its policies accordingly.
Demands and demands
With his calls for an EU dialog with the new Syrian rulers, his criticism of the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, and his commitment to real politics, Alexander Schallenberg is trying to position himself as a pragmatic player in Austrian foreign policy. While he urges a more flexible course on the Syria issue, he also calls for moderation in UN policy in the Middle East conflict. However, Austria's foreign policy during his term of office has remained pragmatic in terms of existing domestic and, of course, international borders.
His call for an EU special envoy for Syria could permanently change Europe's role in the region. Whether this course will be continued by the next federal government remains to be seen, but it could also end up as wishful thinking. Especially as Austrian politics tends to be reserved on foreign policy issues when there is no major internal Austrian media presence.