!!!Sicherheitspolitik

Security Policy: in the early days of the Second Republic the most 
important aim of Austrian security policy was to regain sovereignty. 
After the adoption of the  State Treaty, Austrian in 1955, which 
contains provisions concerning Austrian security policy (e.g. the 
prohibition of offensive weapons and the interdiction to join 
alliances), Austria´s security policy was largely determined by 
the east-west conflict and by Austrian  Neutrality. Austrian security 
policy since 1955 can be broken down into five stages:

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1%%sup st/%  stage (1955-1970): predominance of defence policy, 
comparatively high military expenditures; the Austrian  Federal Armed 
Forcestook action three times: Hungarian Crisis of 1956, South Tyrol 
Crisis of 1967, Czechoslovakia Crisis of 1968.

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2%%sup nd/%  stage (1970-1984): reduction of compulsory military 
service and development of an area defence plan 
("Raumverteidigung"). Participation in joint European 
security policy through the  CSCE.

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3%%sup rd/%  stage (1984-1989): publication of the national defence 
plan in 1985, acquisition of interceptors ("Draken") and 
anti-tank rockets ("Bill").

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4%%sup th/%  stage (1989-1994): the end of the east-west conflict 
resulted in a new interpretation of Austrian neutrality and an 
approach towards the Western security system. Tensions and conflicts 
in countries to the southeast of Austria provoked limited military 
action on the part of the Austrian armed forces near the eastern 
borders (defence of the Austro-Slovenian border during the crisis in 
Slovenia in 1991, has provided for military assistance at 
Austria´s eastern border since 1990).

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5th stage, since 1995: Since Austria's accession to the EU, the common 
foreign and security policy (CFSP) of the EU has also been relevant 
for Austria. On accession, Austria was also granted observer status to 
the West-European Union (WEU), which is closely linked with European 
Union security policy. Austria has also participated in the  NATO 
Partnership for Peace since 1995 and in the  Schengen Agreement, in 
which Austria has a particular role to play due to its long border 
with non-EU countries.  Foreign Policy.

!Literature
A. Skuhra, Oesterreichische Sicherheitspolitik, in: H. 
Dachs et al. (ed.), Handbuch des politischen Systems 
Oesterreichs, 1991.


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