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Foreign Minister Westerwelle in Salzburg: Frank discussions with our neighbours are something I set great store by
Ahead of his meeting today (26 July) in Salzburg with his German‑speaking counterparts, Foreign Minister Westerwelle commented as follows:
“Frank discussions with our neighbours in Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are something I set great store by. We are linked not only by our mother tongue but also our location in the heart of Europe.
Every day thousands cross the borders of our extremely strong economic region.
Our common political agenda encompasses more than the welfare of our border regions. International tax issues, the stability of the financial sector, our campaign for a universal ban on capital punishment and the ongoing conflicts in Europe’s southern neighbourhood are just some of our shared concerns.”
Background:
This afternoon Foreign Minister Westerwelle will be in Salzburg for a meeting of German‑speaking Foreign Ministers hosted by Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger. The other participants in the quadrilateral meeting will be his Swiss and Liechtenstein counterparts Didier Burkhalter and Aurelia C. K. Frick.
