| ID | 090027 |
| Title Proper | How Austria became neutral |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Kruzhkov, V |
| Publication | 2008. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | In the process of the postwar settlement in Austria in the 1940s-1950s, the Western powers that occupied it (together with the Soviet Union) sought to draw the country into their military-political orbit. Needless to say, the USSR, which made a decisive contribution to freeing Austria from German Nazism and re-establishing its statehood, did not want the country to side with unfriendly forces again. As for the Austrians, spooked by the prospect of the "Sovietization" of the Alpine republic, they regarded the Western Occupying Powers as a guarantee of their sovereignty. However, when they realized that Austria was just "a bargaining chip" in a big geopolitical game, Austrian diplomacy became an independent player in the triangle of interests: the West - Austria - the USSR. As a result of intensive domestic political debate and hard-going negotiations with the parties concerned, the Austrians made a choice in favor of permanent neutrality. In the current debate on the issue of NATO enlargement, Austrian experience may prove to be highly relevant. |
| `In' analytical Note | International Affairs (Moscow) Vol. 54, No. 6; 2008: p142-153 |
| Journal Source | International Affairs (Moscow) Vol. 54, No. 6; 2008: p142-153 |
| Key Words | Austria ; NATO Enlargement ; Neutrality |