MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Fischer, a solid basis of Austria's foreign policy is a "modernized" and "unideological" neutrality.
"We think it is much better to talk to Russia than to turn up the temperature," Fischer said as quoted by The Financial Times on Tuesday.
Fischer added that Austria had not had "any particular bad experience with Russia" since the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from the country in 1955.
Austria, along with other EU member states, imposed economic sanctions on Russia last year over the Ukrainian internal crisis. However, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said in May that Vienna opposed sanctions' extension and long-term confrontation with Moscow.
