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Weapons of mass destruction and delivery systems are the highest military risk for global peace at present times. In spite of several serious warnings, Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government have provoked this most recent escalation by consequent non-fulfilling of UN-resolutions and hampering effective arms inspections. Therefore we understand the military action led by US and UK. We have high respect for the soldiers who risk their lives as a consequence of the unlawful attitude of both dictator Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government. It is regrettable that during the current Iraq crisis no political solution could be achieved at which the international community had unremittingly aimed during the past twelve months under the lead of the Secretary-General of the UN and we hope that the present crisis will be brought to an end without losses of European and US soldiers and without heavy casualties amongst the Iraqi population. We want to stress that Iraq has to implement all specific UN-resolutions and has to provide unfettered access for all UN arms inspection teams. This is a must.
During the Austrian EU-Presidency, the European security policy has received a fresh impetus by the first exchange of views of the Defence Ministers as well as by the informal summit of Pörtschach, the informal General Affairs Council and the European Council.

During the first informal meeting of the EU-defence ministers in Vienna on November 4th, 1998 my European colleagues and I discussed the importance of functioning crisis management in Europe. We concluded therein that successful crisis management is only possible, if it is based upon a rapid and comprehensive evaluation of all relevant factors - including the military dimension and capacities. We also agreed that it cannot be our aim to unnecessarily duplicate the existing.

The most recent experiences in Kosovo reminded us again how decisive a functioning crisis management is and how important it is to co-operate with other security organisations. The events in Bosnia and Kosovo force us to draw the necessary lessons and to implement them consequently. We particularly thank France for assuming the command of the extraction force and for her large contribution in this framework.

Nevertheless, the year of 1998 has been a successful one for the European security: due to the decisive action of the international community and especially of NATO a spill over of the conflicts in the Balkans and Kosovo could be avoided.

From the enhancement of PfP also resulted an intensification of the military co-operation of the participating European countries.

NATO as well as EU pursue, each at its own pace, the same objective of durably including the reform countries of Central and Eastern Europe into common structures. In NATO's view the conclusion of the ratification process for the three invitees has taken a further step to enhance the European zone of stability.

Multinational formations represent an essential contribution to crisis as IFOR/SFOR demonstrates excellently. In order to increase and enhance qualitatively the efficiency of these units, common planning of preparation and exercises in advance of peace-support operations is appropriate.

In this context the regional military co-operation achieves special importance. The Austrian launched Central European Co-operation in Peace-Support -CENCOOP - should improve the visibility of the engagement of small and medium sized Central European countries.

The deepening of the operational interoperability and especially of the military efficiency is essential to the co-operation in the field of PSO between PfP-partner nations and NATO-member countries. I therefore explicitly welcome the enlargement and enhancement of the planning and review process. To my opinion the new PARP with its future tailored partnership goals will represent a significant increase and is basis for military efficiency.

Austria will support the PARP, which is to my mind the most important sub-program of PfP, concretely by her readiness to develop and accept initial partnership goals within its capacities.

Furthermore I would like to inform you in this context that Austria is now prepared to co-operate with NATO, its members and other PfP-participants in the full spectrum of peace-support operations.