EU Will Stand Firm on Sanctions Against Austria

European Union (EU) members will continue to ostracize Austria as long as the present Austrian government remains in power, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres said in Helsinki on Monday.

To freeze political relations and isolate Austria from full participation in EU functions are the two basic principles of EU policy for that country, and Portugal will ensure the same policy

is undertaken by the other 14 EU members, said Guterres, whose country holds the current rotating EU presidency.

If Austria doesn't change its cabinet, the EU will continue to isolate the country, said Guterres.

Guterres was in Helsinki holding talks with Finnish President Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen on the EU summit in June, which is expected to focus on employment and economic

reform as well as Europe's defense and security.

Lipponen said the isolation of Austria will likely last a long time under the present situation.

The European Union (EU) decided last month to cut off all political relations with Vienna to protest the entry of the ultra-right Freedom Party into the new coalition government.

Joerg Haider resigned last week as leader of the Freedom Party in an attempt to appease the anger expressed by his praise of Waffen SS veterans and the Nazi regime. But EU countries said they will continue their isolation of Austria despite his resignation.

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