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Brexit to further weaken EU security policy: Austrian official

Xinhua, June 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

A senior Austrian official has Wednesday warned of the effects a British exit from the European Union would have on the security policy of the latter.

In comments to the Austria Press Agency just a day before the British decide whether to remain in the union, Austrian Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil said an exit would spell a "significant step backwards" for an independent and weighty EU security policy.

The minister acknowledged the referendum itself is to be respected and its result also accepted.

"A Brexit would however further marginalize a security policy that is already not particularly strongly pronounced," he said.

He added that the union is currently some way away from being a "global player" in security policy.

Doskozil also noted that while the United Kingdom's security policy has a notably transatlantic focus, it also plays a role in EU operations as well as the EU Battle Group.

A Brexit would also mean the subsequent loss of British experts in foreign missions, the EU military staff, as well as in the headquarters of EU operations, he said. Endit