U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice and Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik. Hopi Media

Vienna was again the center of international diplomacy after having organized a well conceived, high-level Middle East Peace Conference. By invitation of Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, some eighty women in leading positions from the world of politics, economics, the media and non-governmental organizations came together on May 30-31 at Vienna’s Hofburg for a conference entitled Women Leaders - Networking for Peace and Security in the Middle East.

The objective was to provide a new momentum to the waning Middle East peace process by focusing on the peace efforts of women in the region. Workshops dealt with the special aspects of using female networking as a counter strategy in the areas of media and war, economic development, conflict resolution, politics and civil society and were followed by a roundtable discussion.

Signing of the treaties establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) in Rome, March 25, 1957. European Union

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the European Union and is cause for celebration. More specifically, we are commemorating the signing of the treaty that marked the founding of the European Economic Community (EEC), which was the beginning of the European peace project. When the Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957, only six founding states of the European Union initially participated. The success of Europe’s unification can only be attributed to all the members of the European Union. For this reason Austria, which has been part of the Union for more than twelve years, has every reason to celebrate the anniversary of this unique worldwide, politically pioneering project.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry in Vienna opened its doors on March 25, 2007 and invited the public to join the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome.

Christian Kesberg

Interview with Christian Kesberg, Austrian Trade Commissioner in New York

Austrian-U.S. trade has experienced considerable growth within the last years. Christrian Kesberg, Austria’s Trade Commissioner in New York since 2006, explains the reasons for this favorable development, why Austrian companies locate in the U.S., and in what way his office helps serve the interests of Austrian companies.

At a festive ceremony in Vienna’s Upper Belvedere, Austria and the United States commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. On behalf of the Austrian government and the Austrian people Federal Minister of Economics and Labor Martin Bartenstein thanked the United States for the generous reconstruction aid offered by the Marshall Plan. The rebuilding of Europe through the Marshall Plan was a fundamental contribution toward security and stability of the continent and after all, it resulted in a close transatlantic relationship.