International studies, Vol. IV No. 2, 2004.
Review article
Austria's Neutrality and the New European Security Order
Gordan Grlić Radman
; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Croatia
Abstract
The end of the bipolar world order led to acceptance of collective security system in which common legal norms restricted the use of military power, while security- one of the most important factors of interdependence in the European environment- relativized the status of neutrality. Austria as a neutral country was forced to redefine its own position and to adjust to new international political relations. Thus in the beginning of '90s, the permanent neutrality evolved from a legal term into the political level, while Austria stopped being neutral in political terms when it became the full member of the EU in 1995. Therefore, only military independence has remained. However, it is also disposable, regarding the fact that the Government (People's Party), on the one hand, is on medium-term oriented towards NATO membership, while on the other, by the new military doctrine it aims at establishing a framework for a completely new, modem European security and defense policy. Still, without participation of Social Democrats, the Government could not abrogate the Constitutional Law (which stipulates neutrality), taking into consideration the fact that it takes two-thirds majority in the Parliament in order to change it. The majority of Austrian citizens as well (four fifths) argue in favor of need to keep the neutrality
status.
Keywords
neutrality; security order; international relations; Cold War; globalisation; terrorism; EU; NATO
Hrčak ID:
287088
URI
Publication date:
15.7.2004.
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