Austria Applies to Be a European Community Member
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BRUSSELS — Austria formally applied to join the European Community today, saying its neutrality was no obstacle to political and economic union.
Foreign Minister Alois Mock handed the brief letter of application to France’s Roland Dumas, who now chairs EC ministerial meetings.
“Austria presents this application on the understanding that her internationally recognized status of permanent neutrality . . . shall be maintained,” the letter said.
“For the Austrian government, membership of the community and neutrality are compatible,” Mock told a news conference.
“Whether this point of view is accepted by the community, we’ll see only at the end of official negotiations some time in the 1990s,” he added.
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