27
Welcome Speech by the President of the Blue Helmet Forum,
General Günther G. GREINDL, Austrian Armed Forces (Ret.)
As President of the Austrian Blue Helmet Association I would like to welcome you to the Blue Helmet Forum Austria 2005 in the beautiful Castle Rothschild in Reichenau. The castle is located about 100 km south of Vienna in the southern part of the state of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich). The purpose of this international forum is to deal with the general topic of “peace soldiering” and to enable and information exchange about experiences regarding specific military aspects of peace operations.
The invitation for participation in the Blue Helmet Forum was directed towards experts from the military field and high-ranking personalities from politics, business, media, science and diplomacy, for whom a detailed knowledge of the military aspects of “peace soldiering” is of relevance.
I am particularly happy that we have such a prominent group of people assembled here. Due to the number of rooms available in this castle we can only accommodate a limited number of persons. However I believe that the size of this group is just about right to allow for fruitful and lively discussions. I would like to particularly welcome our speakers coming either directly from
27
Welcom e Speech by the Pres
ident of the Blue
Helmet Forum ,
General Günther G.
GREIN DL , Austrian Armed
Forces
(Ret.)
As Preside nt of the Austr
ian Blue Helme t Association
I
would like to we lcome
you to the Blue
Helme t F oru m
Austria 2005 in the beautiful Castle Rothschild in Reichenau. The castle is lo cated about 100 km south of Vienna in the southern part of the st ate of Low er Austri a
(Niederösterrei ch). Th e purpos
e o f this inte rnationa
l
for um is to de al with
the g ene ral topic of “pe
ace ang xch ation e orm and inf nd to enable ng” a soldieri
e
about experiences re garding
specific militar y as
pects of
peace oper ations.
The invita tion for
partic ipation in the Blue
Helme t For um
was dir ect ed tow ard s expe rts f rom the military
fie ld a nd
high- rankin g pe rson alitie s fro m politics, busine
ss, media
, r whom a detailed knowledge fo science and diplomacy,
of the military
asp ect s of “pe ace soldieri
ng” is of
relevan ce.
I am particula rly
happ y that we have su ch a pro
minent
group of people
assembled her e. Du
e to the number of an onl we c castle ble in this vaila rooms a
y a cco mmodate
a limite d number of
per sons. Howe ver I
belie ve t hat the
size of this g roup is just
about right to allow fo r fruitful
and lively discussions.
I would like to particularl
y from ly rect ther di g ei comin e our speakers welcom
28
missions in the field or from their desks in national and international institutions involved in peace operations.
We are bringing together representatives from the United Nations, the European Union and national decision makers from Africa and Europe. We're looking forward to your presentations.
This forum has been organized by the Austrian Blue Helmet Association with the support of the Austrian Ministry of Defense, the Austrian National Defense Academy and the Austrian International Peace Operations Command.
The Austrian Blue Helmet Association was founded in 1995 and serves the interest of persons who have served and are serving in international peace operations either with the United Nations or in missions mandated by the United Nations and led by the EU or NATO as well as in missions of the OSCE. The Austrian Blue Helmet Association promotes the contacts between Austrian and international peacekeepers. Additionally the association fosters contacts with governmental agencies and other association dealing with peacekeeping matters. In connection with international peace operations the Association lends its support to the respective Federal Ministries and offices. The Association also represents the interests of Austrian peacekeepers in public as well as towards the national assembly the federal government and other authorities.
Forty five years ago in 1960 the first Austrian peacekeepers were deployed to provide medical support to the UN-mission in the Congo. Since then Austria has 28
missions in the f iel d or fr om the ir de sks in nationa
l and
international institutions involved in peace operations.
We a re br ingin g to geth er r epre sen tative s f rom
the United Nations, the European Union and national decision
makers from Africa and Europe. We'
re looking forward
to your presentations.
This forum has been organized b y the Austria n B
lue Helmet Association with the support of the Austrian
Ministry of De fense, the
Austrian National Defens
e Peac rnational nte rian I the Aust Academy and
e
Operations Command.
The Austrian Blue Hel met Association was founded in
1995 and serves the interest of persons who have served
and are servi ng i n i nte rnat ional peace operat
ion s ei
ther y the ted b in missions manda tions or d Na with the Unite
United Nations and led by th e EU or NATO as well as in
missions of the OSCE . The Austrian Blue
Helmet
Association promotes the conta cts betwe
en Aust
rian and ass lly the pers. Additiona ekee l peac ationa intern
oci ation
fosters cont acts wi
th governm ent
al a gen cies an d other
association dealing with peac
ekeeping matters.
In tions the era e op l peac nationa ction with inter conne
Association lends its support to the respective
Fede ral
Mini stri es and offices. The Associ
ation al
so represents ers in publ peacekeep rian rests of Aust nte the i
ic as well as
toward s the na
tional a sse mbly the fed
era l go ver nme nt
and othe r a
uthor ities.
Fort y five ye
ars ago in 1960 the first Austrian
peacekeep ers were deplo
yed to provide medical
support
to the UN- mission in th
e Cong o. Since the
n Au stria has
29
participated continuously in UN-operations and became a reliable supporter of the United Nations peacekeeping efforts. We have seen many changes ever since. Every so often the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping forces has been in question. At times the credibility of the concept as a whole was at stake when peacekeeping forces failed to prevent the outbreak of hostilities or to provide adequate protection. It would be naïve in the extreme to assume that peacekeeping forces would always work. There are far too many incalculable circumstances to provide absolute assurance. I do believe, however, that in spite of some failures and a number of shortcomings the concept of peacekeeping will remain a most valuable instrument of conflict control for the United Nations.
Having commanded three peacekeeping operations in the United Nations I had the opportunity to get to know various types of interventions. Although the mandate of these missions, their composition and armament were markedly different they were all more or less interventions of a multinational force under international direction with the consent the parties limiting the use of force to self defense only. Every mission had its own set of circumstances which made it unique. Planners and executors of peacekeeping operations must therefore retain creativity and flexibility in order to be in a position to react adequately to unforeseen circumstances. This I believe is essential in shaping the future of peacekeeping.
Having said this it would be remiss not to draw on past experience or to take into account lessons previously learned.
29
participated continuously in UN-operations and became a
reliable supporter of the Un ited Nations peacek
eeping Every so er since. ges ev chan any e have seen m efforts. W
ofte n the eff
ective ness of Unite d Na
tions peaceke epin g
forces has be en in question. At times the cr
edibility of th
e ng ekeepi stake when peac e was at concept as a whol
for ces faile d to preve
nt the outbr eak
of hostilitie s or to
provide adequate p rotec
tion. It would be naïv
e in the forces ng epi peaceke hat e t o assum eme t extr
would
alwa ys work. There a re far t
oo man y i ncal culabl e
circumstances to provide absolute assuran ce.
I do
believe, however, that i n sp
ite of some f
ailur es a
nd a ekeepin of peac gs the concept number of shortcomin
g
will rema in a most
valua ble instrume nt of c
onflic t c ontrol
for the United Nations.
Having comm
and ed thre e peacekeepi
ng oper ati
ons in t he
United Nations I had t he opportunity to
get t
o know h the mandate of entions. Althoug various types of interv
these missions, their composition and armament were
mark edl y dif fer ent they
were all mor e
or le ss
interventions of a multinati onal force unde
r international s limiting th partie tion with the consent the direc
e use of
force to self defense onl y. Eve
ry mission had its own set
of circumstances which
made it unique. Planners and epi ors of peaceke execut
ng operat ions m
ust therefo re
reta in crea tivity
and f lex ibility in or
der to be in a position
to react adequatel
y t o unforese en ci
rcumst ances.
This I eke peac e of utur the f l in shaping ssentia ve is e belie
epin g.
Having said this it would be re miss not to draw on past
experience or to take i nto account lessons pre
viousl y
learned.
30
The Blue Helmet Forum 2005 should provide an opportunity to precisely do that. Our resource persons together with the participants represent a very experienced group. You can all bring this experience to the table. Peacekeeping needs constant scrutiny in order not to become a thing of the past. I am looking forward to the various presentations and to our discussions and I hope that at the end we will all have a better idea of the peacekeeping forces today and tomorrow.
Finally let me mention another aspect which I consider important. Outside our academic sessions we will have ample opportunities to socialize. It is up to us to reach out and to make new friends. I am sure the atmosphere of this castle will be of great help in this respect. I wish you an enjoyable stay and interesting discussions
30
The Blue Helmet F orum 2005 should
provide an
opportunity to precisel y do that. Our resourc
e persons
together with the par
ticipa nts re pres
ent a ve
ry perience to g this ex You can all brin group. experienced
the t abl e. Peac ekeeping
needs const ant
scrut iny in order
not to become a thing of
the past. I am lookin g fo
rw
ard to nd to our discussions and the various presentations a I
hope that at the end we will a ll have a better idea of the
peacekeepin g fo
rces toda y and tomor
row.
Fina lly le t me mention a
nother a spect whic h I conside r
important. Outside our acad emic sessions we will have
ample opportunities to socialize.
It is up to us t
o reach atmosphere of sure the I am friends. ew out and to make n
this castle will be of
gre at he lp in this respe
ct.
I w ish you
an enjoya ble stay
and interesting discussions
