ocr: While Austria wants to be seen as independent of German intluence, it cannot avoid the fact that Germany isi its main trading partner and the most powerful state in the region. Relations with Germany are therefore Austria's major concern. However, there is a conscious policy to create a diplomatic distance from Berlin. Austria is eager to maintain its direct line to Washington. The fact that Austria supplies much of the US army's small arms helps to cement this relationship. Keeping a distance from Germany will probably mean that now Austria has joined the EU it will align itself with the Scan ...
