Austrian Ambassador to the United States Dr. Christian Prosl visited the Vaughn Center on Tuesday afternoon. Speaking at the Crescent Club on the ninth floor, Dr. Prosl discussed the effect of WikiLeaks on world diplomacy.
“Diplomacy is more important now than ever before,” Dr. Prosl said, referring to the increasingly globalized world economy.
Dr. Prosl has a long history in international affairs dating back to posts as First Secretary in London and Counselor of Economic Affairs in Washington, D.C. But what drives someone to devote themselves to world diplomacy?
“I never wanted to be a diplomat,” Dr. Prosl said. However, he changed his mind in his twenties after a trip to Vienna.
“I realized that there are people who are much less favored than we are [ . . . ] and it is possible to help these people.”
Dr. Prosl also served in the United Nations and as Austrian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Though the ambassador acknowledged WikiLeaks as an important development in international relations, he had no kind words to say about those willing to disclose diplomatic secrets.
“We have to be sure that people that divulge secrets are put on trial. [ . . . ] We have to be able to trust each other, that the information we are getting is right and we are protected.”
Dr. Prosl argued that the United States and Europe stand united around common values. “If we believe that [human] rights are universal, we must defend them.”
He then evoked the Guantanamo Bay prison and perceived questionable treatment by the Austrian police toward foreigners as examples of the challenges and paradoxes democratic societies face in upholding human rights.
In closing his prepared remarks, Dr. Prosl highlighted the importance “that students come together from all around the world, study — you have here a wonderful university — people.
“I understand over a hundred countries are represented. Take the chance; talk! Talk! And I hope that the exchange of students between the United States and Europe will again increase because we have a lot of things to discuss, the way we will shape our future, but particularly yours.”
Afterward, Dr. Prosl took questions from the audience.
The dense crowd was timid at first, until one attendee asked whether WikiLeaks is “in totality good.” Dr. Prosl emphatically answered, “No,” though he admitted that he was unsurprised by the reality of WikiLeaks.
Addressing whether the integrity of diplomatic relations had taken a hit by the language of the leaked documents, the ambassador said, “Diplomats are here to improve the world and they are not here to make things worse. Probably the American diplomats are some of the best in the world. [ . . . ] I’m disappointed and sad that they don’t get that much credit.”
He criticized the media’s coverage of leaked documents, saying, “[The press] always thinks there is something behind it, something creeping in general.”
“I personally think,” the ambassador said, “the diplomats did a great job and [the leaks are] not their fault.”
On regulation of the Internet, Dr. Prosl said, “I am against censoring [the Internet] while having some regulations unless you have to protect your children or people who have to be protected.
“There is a thin line of course — what is still admissible and what is not not — but that is a question of culture, I would say. I do not see that, nowadays, we need much protection of the Internet because everybody knows [about it].”
The Minaret spoke with Dr. Prosl, and asked for his response to students who view Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as champions of open democracy.
“Julian Assange is not at fault,” replied Dr. Prosl, deflecting the blame to those who actually leaked the information that sources such as WikiLeaks published.
However, he contended that Julian Assange should not be considered “a hero for publishing something like that.”
However, Dr. Prosl expressed the position that prosecuting Julian Assange for the contents of WikiLeaks is improper.
Dr. Prosl used WikiLeaks as a demonstration of consequences that may arise when diplomatic information is shared too freely.
The ambassador emphasized that it is “important who gets the information that is being sent out.” In his view, restricting the flow of information is vital.
Additionally, he expressed that the relative openness of information within the United States intelligence community contributed to the hemorrhaging of classified documents as showcased on WikiLeaks.
On relations toward Iran, a frequently discussed topic in the wake of WikiLeaks’s revelations, Dr. Prosl said that the leaked documents betray “central” concerns by other Arab nations that are “disturbing their societies.”
Some documents released by WikiLeaks described several Arab countries, most notably Saudi Arabia, urging the United States to militarily intervene in Iran.
Dr. Prosl was brought to UT as part of the Honors Department’s International Speakers Series.
For more information about future symposia, contact Dr. Gary Luter at gluter@ut.edu.
Micheal Angelo Rumore and Yasaman Sherbaf can be reached at mrumore@spartans.ut.edu and ysherbaf@spartans.ut.edu.