Austrian Chancellor stands by decision to withdraw UN troops from Golan Heights

Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann has stood by his country's last week decision to withdraw its UN peacekeeping forces from the Golan Heights in the face of criticism. "The decision was not easy, but was made after careful consideration," he told the Kronen Zeitung in an interview published on Monday, adding that he stood by the decision with "confidence and conviction". He said the soldiers were not equipped for a combat mission and thus Austria's observer status in the region came into question. He also expressed astonishment at claims that the decision could damage Austria's image, pointing out that the central European nation had 900 personnel active in international missions and could now for instance increase its presence in the Western Balkans. Even if changes were made to the UN mandate in terms of a combat mission, Austria as a neutral country would not be able to become involved, he added. The first soldiers are expected to return home to Austria on Wednesday and will consist mostly of logistics personnel, while the remainder will maintain their existing role in the buffer zone before being withdrawn over the next two to four weeks.