UN General Assembly
1990

We must admit that there is a risk that our joy over the tumbling of economic and political wells in Europe may distract our attention from other regional affairs and from the growing complex web of mutual interdependence that today characterises our multipolar world. European unification has, however, never been seen as a substitute for global partnership. On the contrary, peace, stability and co-operation in any region are the prerequisites for tackling those global issues which will inevitably be on the long-term agenda of the community of nations. Iraq's aggression and illegal annexation of the sovereign State of Kuwait provide a formidable challenge to the new global partnership that is emerging after the end of the East-Heat cleavage. The way the entire world has been reacting to this action proves that the overcoming of East-West antagonisms has not only benefited Europe but strengthened a far-reaching sense of solidarity. As far as Austria is concerned, this crisis has clearly shown that the status of permanent neutrality does not prevent us from participating in actions of international solidarity.