AUSTRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER OUTLINES IMMIGRATION POLICY

UNCLAS VIENNA 001835

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN INTERIOR MINISTER OUTLINES IMMIGRATION POLICY


1. (U) Summary: Austrian Interior Minister Maria Fekter outlined her
views on immigration and integration in a December 4 speech in which
she proposed that Austria develop a balanced policy avoiding the
extremes of assimilation and multiculturalism. She said Austria
would participate in an EU-wide program to enable workers from
outside the EU to apply for jobs in EU countries, while stressing
that applicants should be fluent in German. She also criticized the
Dublin Convention and called for a policy of distributing asylum
applications among EU states on a per capita basis. End Summary.


2. (U) Speaking at a symposium celebrating the 15th Anniversary of
the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD),
Fekter offered a preview of how the new Austrian government will
address migration issues. She maintained that Austria, like other
countries, needs a certain level of immigration, and should develop
strategies for regulating immigration and promoting integration.
Governments tend to pursue one of two general integration policies -
assimilation or multiculturalism - and both have potential pitfalls,
she averred. A policy based on assimilation can fail if it is
perceived as "forced assimilation," while multiculturalism - a
positive concept - can lead to the formation of ethnic ghettos.
Austria needs to form a policy that avoids these pitfalls, she
concluded.


3. (U) Fekter remarked that efforts to deal with large scale
migration from specific countries or regions started with the
Budapest Process, which introduced new EU-wide measures aimed at
preventing irregular migration. Human trafficking is a particular
concern, as it creates "waves of illegal migrants" and leads to
serious human rights violations. It is therefore necessary to set
in place policies and programs that deal with the humanitarian and
social environment in the countries of origin of illegal migrants in
order to weaken the attraction of illegal migration, she said.


4. (U) Fekter also addressed the issue of the new EU "Blue Card,"
which is designed to give migrant workers access to job
opportunities in EU countries. She noted that the GOA coalition
agreement outlines plans to implement the Blue Card in Austria. The
card would be targeted at workers with special qualifications and
would aim to meet the needs of the Austrian labor market. One
requirement for attaining a Blue Card for Austria would be fluency
in German. The card would also provide certain rights for members
of a migrant worker's immediate family, she said.


5. (U) On resettlement of refugees, Fekter emphasized Austria's
commitment to the UN, including programs of the UN High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR). She said UNHCR assists in the handling of
refugees entering Austria from the east, from places like Chechnya,
Georgia, and Africa.


6. (U) Fekter spoke critically of the Dublin Convention, under which
refugees seeking political asylum in the EU are generally required
to apply in the country where they first entered the EU. She
asserted that the Convention has resulted in a disproportionate
burden on certain EU states -- like Austria, Belgium, Italy, Greece,
Cyprus and Malta - located on or near the periphery of the EU. She
proposed that a "burden per capita" system be established instead.
She acknowledged, however, that the larger EU states would be
unlikely to support such a change, noting that France and the UK had
rejected a per capita-based plan at an EU meeting 15 years ago.

Comment: Implementation Will Be Difficult
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7. (SBU) Implementing the EU Blue Card in Austria may prove more
difficult than Fekter indicates. Immigration and integration have
long been controversial in Austria, and are likely to become more so
in light of the economic downturn. This could prove to be one of
the toughest challenges facing the new government.

Girard-DiCarlo