The panellists, recruited from the  Austrian and Czech Ministries, NATO International Staff and Think-Tanks, discussed the outcomes of the Brussels special meeting  on fair burden sharing in collective defence, collective defence guarantees or enhancing the NATO’s role in the fight against terrorism.  In that context, they also debated current state of the trans-Atlantic relationship, in particular in respect to the defence burden-sharing, as well as the deterrence and dialog vis-a-vis Russia or countering threats coming from the South. 

Participants underscored the role of Austria as an active NATO partner and contributor to the European Security that is firmly demonstrated by Austria’s participation in the Partnership for Peace, contribution to NATO-led operations, namely KFOR in Kosovo where Austria is the biggest non-NATO contributor, and hoped for an early overcoming of the current bilateral issue with one NATO member that hinders NATO – Austria partnership activities. They commended the active role of the Czech Republic in carrying out its role of the NATO Contact Point Embassy for Austria and the high quality and depth of the Czech-Austrian co-operation within the NATO-Austria Partnership and beyond.