Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of Austria Andrea Wicke while addressing her country’s National Day reception has expressed her profound grief over the deaths of civilians—children, women and elderly people alike—in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
While accusing the Hamas leadership and fighters of initiating, rather imposing the war on the entire Palestine population, Andrea Wicke said not only the Israelis but the Palestinians were also suffering because of their ill-intentioned move.
After the attacks and atrocities, it seems that the ‘two-state solution’ for Palestine has now become a distant dream, she said.
Andrea Wicke could hardly control her emotions while describing the plight of the Israeli and the Palestinian children, women and civilian population who were killed, injured, kidnapped and taken hostage. She also talked about the Palestinian people’s sufferings and said they too were suffering because of the Hamas militants. In short, it is a tragedy that words failed to describe, she said.
Austria, like other European nations, condemned these unprovoked attacks and wants an early end to military conflict. However at the same time, we firmly believe that without justice there would be no everlasting peace, she said.
About National Day of Austria, she said, on October 26, 1995 the Austrian Parliament had made a unanimous decision on everlasting neutrality which was the basis of the national day reception.
She also mentioned the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights (HR) held in Vienna saying it was an indispensable milestone for protection of human rights. The same year, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Negotiator Mahmoud Abbas signed a Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, commonly referred to as the “Oslo Accord,” at the White House. However, today, 33 years since the two historic events, peace remains a far cry, she regretted.
It was though a small reception held at the Austrian ambassador’s residence yet one could see big names of the diplomatic community and the notables of the city attending the event to greet the Austrian ambassador.
One could see among others, the EU Ambassador DrRiinaKionka, ambassadors of Germany, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Belgium, Norway, Brazil, Poland, the Netherlands, Turkey, Indonesia, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and other countries.
High Commissioner of Australia and Deputy Chief of Mission the US Embassy, Andrew Schofer was also there to greet Ambassador Andrea Wicke on her country’s National Day. Earlier, the national anthems of both Austria and Pakistan were played and a cake was also cut to celebrate the day.
The highlight of the event was Sufi music and the guests enjoyed the classical music of the Pakistani artists and singers who had specially come from Lahore to perform.
