Cutting or Tightening the Gordian Knot

Welcome Speech
Johann Pucher
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends and Partners within the PfP Consortium,
It is a pleasure for me to welcome you here on behalf of the Austrian
Ministry of Defence at the 16 th workshop of the PfP Consortium Study
Group on “Regional Stability in South East Europe” also this year.
It is good to be here in Reichenau and to see so many well-known and
well-respected faces representing international organisations being active
in the Western Balkans.
As a co-organiser, we, equally, if not more importantly, appreciate the
presence of representatives and experts from the countries in the region.
A warm welcome also to many friends I personally have had the privilege
to meet over the past years.
Dear participants,
The Austrian Ministry of Defence is a member of the PfP Consortium
since 2000. Our main focus within the Consortium rests on its work in
the Study Group Regional Stability in South East Europe. May I extend
my sincere appreciation to Predrag Jureković from the Austrian National
Defence Academy, to Professor Pantev from Bulgaria and to Professor
Staničić from Croatia, for having guided the work of the Study Group
for so many years.
The Austrian MoD is also involved in the work of the Regional Stability
in the Greater Black Sea Area and Combating Terrorism Working
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