Politics

Spindelegger defended Golan withdrawal

Golan withdrawal from Austria

USPA NEWS - Michael Spindelegger defended the decision to deduct the Austrian peacekeepers from the Golan Heights. In OE1-Mittagsjournal Spindelegger said on Saturday, a decisive factor was that in the application of UN troops now fighting take place without regard to the UN troops.
Both the rebels and the Assad troops took advantage of the Golan increasingly as a combat zone, said the Foreign Minister. And if by the supply lines of the UN troops would be interrupted, "then no one can indeed maintained this mission." Therefore, the UN must consider in principle, "if under such conditions, a use is still possible," said Spindelegger. For the views expressed in some reproach, Austria steal from the responsibility of the Minister sees no reason: "We have been there 39 years, we have had regrettably also recorded fatalities," he recalled in a total of 23 Austrians killed in the Golan Heights.
But now the situation is marked by a new quality: "The UN is no longer respected by the Syrian parts."

Spindelegger rejects criticism

Criticism, the deduction'm surprising and hasty, refuses to accept Spindelegger. He had announced both in Israel and at the UN ", and also to all my colleagues in the European Union", it is "very difficult for us in the Golan Heights to stay" if the EU arms embargo fall against Syria, which has now happened .
"So who is doing now surprised and says, 'Austria is now simply' can not mean that quite seriously." With the upcoming election that have nothing to do: "We are still in southern Lebanon, where it is dicey as well - and stay there."

Refugees

On the question whether Austria should accept refugees from Syria and is the Secretary of State did not specify, and referred to the competence of his party colleague, Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner. Which, however, has been checkered to take more refugees from the civil war zone over asylum addition. One limitation, however, made “‹“‹Spindelegger: "In Syria Christians who now are indeed a very special kind of religious persecution, we should participate."
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