(4 Feb 2000) English/Nat
The Clinton administration on Friday distanced itself from Austria to protest the inclusion of far-right Freedom Party members in a new government.
U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, announcing there would be limited contacts with Vienna, said there should be no place in a European government for a political party that doesn't distance itself enough from the atrocities of the Nazi era.
Standing with Spain's Foreign Minister, Abel Matutes, Madeleine Albright delivered the first official reaction to the inclusion of six members of the Freedom Party in the new coalition government.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are deeply concerned about the Freedom Party's entry into the Austrian government. There is clearly no place inside the governments who make up the Euro- Atlantic community, in a healthy democracy, for a party that clearly does not distance itself from the atrocities of the Nazi era and the politics of hate."
SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, U-S Secretary of State
Albright said Ambassador Kathryn Hall would register the deep concern in the United States about the inclusion of the Freedom Party in the new government.
Albright says the U-S defense attache in Vienna has been ordered not to participate in ceremonies for Austria's new defense minister.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I have been following this now for many hours. I have been in touch with the Austrians and my colleagues on this. We are very concerned and we are taking appropriate initial steps, but let me just repeat this is something that is under constant review and we are going to be watching the actions of the Austrian government and we have decided to limit our contact."
SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
The Freedom Party is headed by Joerg Haider, who has questioned whether there was a Holocaust in World War II in which millions of Jewish people were murdered by Nazi Germany and has made other remarks considered to be anti-Semitic.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I find his (Haider's) statements unacceptable and I think that whatever he is doing in terms of tapping into this king of xenophobic and anti-immigration and anti-human rights policies is unacceptable. He is not a member of this government and what Chancellor Schuessel told me is that they have looked very carefully at the members of the Freedom party that they have taken into their government and in fact they have turned down some candidates that they have found unacceptable. But let me say I am not going to make any excuses for Mr Haider, I find what he has said repugnant. And I would hope that this would become increasingly clear, such that the Austrian government itself, in terms of the way it deals with its policies and whether it lives up to this preamble and how it follows through with its past, I think that is what we are going to be looking for."
SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, U-S Secretary of State
Albright said further judgements on the relationship between Austria and the United States would be based on the country's "deeds, not words."
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