AUSTRIA, September 7 - On 8 September 2022, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg welcomed his counterpart from the Principality of Liechtenstein, Dominique Hasler, for a working meeting in Vienna. The discussion centred around bilateral issues, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the status of the EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, and collaboration on multilateral matters.

In his discussion with Foreign Minister Hasler, Foreign Minister Schallenberg emphasised the excellent relations between Austria and Liechtenstein, and recommended continued close dialogue on European policy between the two countries. The Foreign Minister also thanked her for Liechtenstein’s autonomous implementation of EU sanctions against Russia which were introduced due to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The important thing, he noted, was for the West to show solidarity against the Russian narrative.

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is also a global fight of narratives. Therefore, a united stand of the West is needed. Liechtenstein’s rapid adoption of EU sanctions made an important contribution in that regard,

said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

In terms of the EU enlargement process, Foreign Minister Schallenberg welcomed the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova. He also emphasised that the states in the Western Balkan region must also be offered a credible EU accession perspective, because that was in the EU’s strategic interest. The initiation of EU accession talks with Albania and Northern Macedonia was an important first step, he said, and should be followed by granting EU candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as liberalising the visa process for Kosovo. 

A further discussion topic was the cooperation between Austria and Liechtenstein on multilateral issues, for instance in the United Nations and in the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE). Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg advocated continuing the two countries’ collaboration for the sake of efficient, value- and rule-based multilateralism. In this context, the Foreign Minister congratulated his counterpart on the UN Security Council’s approval of the “veto initiative” on 26 April 2022 following an initiative by Liechtenstein.