Cutting or Tightening the Gordian Knot

Groups and co-operates with the Swiss led Security Sector Reform
Working Group.
The MoD remains fully committed to the Consortium’s mission. In particular
we want to promote contacts between individuals and institutions
in Southeast Europe on different levels.
Austria as a direct neighbour of the Western Balkan countries, with
strong historical, cultural, personal and economic ties with respect to the
region, has been engaged in a comprehensive approach as far as its support
for the peace processes in the region is concerned.
Firstly:
Our engagement in Peace Support Operations goes back to 1996. Austria
had just joined the PfP in 1995. Our soldiers took part in the IFOR mission
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by our contribution to SFOR
and later to KFOR and again to EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
About 900 soldiers are presently operating in the region. This is
more than two thirds of our overall deployment. We will maintain our
military engagement as long as required, taking into account the regional
situation.
Secondly:
We have concluded bilateral Memoranda of Understanding on military
cooperation with all countries, except Kosovo. All in all we are engaged
in about 260 bilateral activities in the region. By gathering all the Western
Balkan countries under the umbrella of PfP, NATO has created better
conditions for enhanced confidence building and cooperation between
the security actors in South East Europe. In its co-operation with
NATO countries in various Peace Support Operations, Austria has profited
a lot from its participation in the PfP.
Having our positive experience in mind we want to suggest to our
friends in the region to use membership in PfP to develop their cooperation
in the military and other fields. The Austrian MoD and MFA
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