Von 21. bis 26. November 2022 findet in Hanoi die 22. Konferenz des Weltfriedensrats statt. Die Solidarwerkstatt Österreich ist seit dem Vorjahr assoziiertes Mitglied des Weltfriedensrates und könnte zwei Delegierte nach Hanoi entsenden. Da leider niemand von uns Zeit hat, dieses Angebot wahrzunehmen, hat der Solidarwerkstatt-Vorstand eine Grußbotschaft an die TeilnehmerInnen der Konferenz in Hanoi geschickt.
Vienna, 27.09.2022
Dear presidency, dear congress, dear friends and comrades of the World Peace Council!
Our organization "Solidarwerkstatt Österreich - für einfreies, solidarisches, neutrales, und weltoffenes Österreich" (Solidarwerkstatt Austria - for a free, solidary, neutral, and internationalist Austria) intended to join the World Peace Council because the WPC is the legitimate worldwide peace organization. Thanks to your decision, we are now associated.
The Solidarwerkstatt is a non-partisan left-sovereignist and anti-globalist organization, which sees itself as an initiator and connector of peace activities in Austria and an organization, which exists since the 1990ies as the most consequent part of the Austrian peace movement.
We are against NATO, and opposing the neoliberal EU system and its militarization and struggling for the revival of the good old Austrian neutral foreign policy as it was created especially in the 70ies under Chancellor Bruno Kreisky.
The Solidarwerkstatt was one of the main organizers of the anti-NATO protests in Austria against the aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999 and the US-American war in Iraq.
For us the WPC is a proper platform to struggle together with our international friends, comrades and partners for a multipolar, peaceful and anti-neoliberal world order and to learn from each other for this fight.
Right now, we need more dialogue and respect for international law. The war in Ukraine can only be solved through dialogue and respect for the security interests of all parties.
There is no doubt that Russia's invasion of Ukraine violates international law and violates Ukraine's territorial integrity.
However, there is a longer conflict and history before and now we see a proxy war there between the collective West NATO/EU/USA and Russia. The idea and concept of Ukraine's neutrality would contribute to a peaceful solution. Austria has only benefited from its neutrality since 1955. For us it was a result and a necessary consequence of two world wars and fascism. We say NO to the EU economic war against Russia. These harsh economic sanctions only hurt ordinary people on all sides. Who sanctioned the US for the illegal invasion of Iraq? Who sanctioned the US, Germany and Great Britain for the illegal attack on Yugoslavia?
We think that the WPC can contribute to a better and more peaceful world. In this sense, we also work in Austria and spread the ideas of the WPC in our country.
Unfortunately, none of us can attend the conference in Hanoi for professional and private reasons. However, our thoughts are with you in solidarity! We greet you and wish you a good course of our conference.
With solidarity greetings from Austria!
Board of Solidarwerkstatt Austria
(Oct. 2022)