Austria Requests Lifting of Diplomatic Sanctions against It

The Austrian Foreign Minister, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, during a special ministerial meeting held in Vienna, requests the lifting of diplomatic sanctions imposed on the Austrian Government. The sanctions were activated following an agreement by 14 EU member states due to the participation of Joerg Haider’s far-right Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ—Austrian Freedom Party) in the governing coalition. The lifting of diplomatic sanctions – which lasted 8 months – proceeded in September of the same year.