The Austrian Armed Forces will strengthen their contribution to the collective national assessment of the situation, as an instrument of early political and military warning, and support efforts to improve the nation’s leadership capability. The capabilities of the Austrian Armed Forces must be permanently developed in light of national and international developments. The ability to expand the forces to suit a given situation must be ensured. 3.2.4 Civil-military cooperation The ability to intensify cooperation between the civil and military sectors is key to accomplishing relevant tasks in Austria and abroad and is to be further increased. Efficient cooperation between the domestic civil and military sectors is a fundamental prerequisite for successful cooperation at the international level. Civil-military cooperation in the international context is based on the objectives defined in the Strategic Guidelines on Security and Development. 3.2.5 Diplomacy and Austria’s policy of hosting international organisations Through its network of Embassies and Permanent Missions and its involvement with international organisations and conferences, the Austrian diplomatic service helps to ensure that Austrian interests are being incorporated in the international security debate. Opportunities opening up must be recognised and international crisis management must be further developed, also in line with Austrian interests. The diplomatic service has a representative, informative and evaluative function for the national authorities. Austria has proved its ability to act as a mediator in international conflict situations and will, therefore, continue to actively offer its good offices, by pointing out its comparative advantages and by seizing the relevant opportunities for mediation. Austria will also continue to do everything in its power to support the work of the Vienna-based organisations and arms control instruments,6 endeavouring to promote their objectives. Austria will make efforts to provide headquarters for additional organisations and agencies as well as organise conferences. Vienna’s role in housing international organisations and as a hub of international security policy is to be further expanded. 3.3 Austrian security policy within the context of the EU The EU, as a comprehensive community of peace, security and solidarity, provides the central framework of action for Austria’s security policy. Austria will be involved in every dimension of EU security policy. Austria supports the pre-accession process of additional states, aiming at the adoption of EU standards. The EU offers a strong foundation from which to establish a successful network of priorities pertaining to, both domestic and foreign policy. 6 12 Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Executive Secretariat of the Hague Code of Conduct, Secretariat of the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), which deals with the interaction between development and security.