Strategic Partnership Update Between the United States and Austria
In light of the unprovoked and premeditated war against Ukraine, during bilateral consultations at the State Department in Washington, D.C., and at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, Secretary General at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Austria Victoria Reggie Kennedy, issued a Joint Statement on the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and Austria, setting forth a strategic partnership between the two countries and a plan to continue the dialogue.
The U.S.-Austria Strategic Partnership strengthens cooperation between the two countries in a variety of areas. / Picture: © American and Austrian crossed flags by Vindobona
During bilateral consultations at the U.S. Embassy in Vienna, Secretary General Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Austria Victoria Reggie Kennedy, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who joined via video conference, discussed the strategic partnership between the United States and Austria.
The continuation of the dialogue was manifested in a joint statement.
In addition to a wide range of bilateral issues, current foreign policy topics such as the war in Ukraine and the negotiations on the Vienna nuclear agreement with Iran (JCPOA Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) were also intensively discussed.
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with Austrian Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal to discuss Russia's unjustified, unprovoked, and premeditated war against Ukraine.
The two strongly condemned Russia's further invasion into Ukraine as a flagrant violation of international law and contravention of OSCE principles and commitments.
They both expressed firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and pledged continued coordination to support the people of Ukraine and impose massive costs on Russia and hold Russia's leadership accountable.
Deputy Secretary Sherman and Secretary General Launsky-Tieffenthal also agreed on strong support for stability in the Western Balkans and the countries' European integration.
"Austria and the United States aim to further deepen their close and friendly relations with each other through a Strategic Partnership. We are united by a clear commitment to the values of democracy and human rights" said Secretary General Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal.
In this regard, the Secretary General underlined the close cooperation between the European partners and the United States. In the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe have worked out far-reaching sanctions packages in close coordination.
The U.S.-Austria Strategic Partnership strengthens cooperation between the two countries in a variety of areas.
A further focus is on civil society dialogue, which is to be promoted through joint programs, particularly in the areas of education and the media.
The official text of the "Joint Statement on the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and Austria" as follows:
The Governments of the United States and Austria held the U.S.-Austria Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on March 3, 2022, which included virtual consultations between Austrian Secretary General for Foreign Affairs Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
The United States and Austria, also in its capacity as a member state of the European Union, are dedicated to deepening the Transatlantic relationship and strengthening our commitment to our shared values of advancing democracy and human rights and condemning Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked and premeditated war against Ukraine. Both parties expressed firm dedication to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We acknowledge the European aspirations of Ukraine, welcome its European choice, and support its political association and economic integration with the EU. The United States and Austria support the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people. We fully support the objective of European integration of the Western Balkan countries.
In the framework of our Strategic Partnership the United States and Austria emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Austria relationship in addressing Transatlantic issues. The Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. focused on common interests and shared values, reaffirming the dedicated bilateral relationship between the United States and Austria and our joint commitment to enhance cooperation on a broad range of topics, such as establishing a civil society dialogue and fostering educational and people-to-people exchanges.
Topics discussed during the Strategic Dialogue included global and regional security issues, including the Western Balkans; energy security, including climate change; economic prosperity; and strengthening democratic values and institutions through the OSCE in Europe and Eurasia and in our own countries. The United States and Austria highlighted their common concern about ongoing violations of the Helsinki Final Act by Russia and Belarus and consulted on the importance of the OSCE in reaching diplomatic resolutions to regional conflicts. Concerning the ongoing JCPOA talks, both sides reaffirmed the need to come to a swift conclusion. The United States thanked Austria for hosting the JCPOA talks.
The Strategic Dialogue was hosted by the U.S. Department of State and included interagency andinter-ministerial representatives from both governments. The meeting featured senior U.S. representatives from the Department of State, and the Department of the Treasury, and from the Austrian side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance.
Both sides expressed a strong interest in continuing and deepening the bilateral strategic partnership. The parties plan to hold the next meeting in Vienna in the first half of 2023.
About Wendy Ruth Sherman
Wendy Sherman (71), a U.S. diplomat, has served as Deputy Secretary of State of the United States since April 2021. Previously, she was a professor of public leadership at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, senior counselor at the Albright Stonebridge Group, and senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
BMEIA Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs