Schuessel-Haider bid to form Govt.

VIENNA, FEB. 3. The Austrian far-rightist, Mr. Joerg Haider, and the Conservative leader, Mr. Wolfgang Schuessel, met the President, Mr. Thomas Klestil, today to seek his approval for a new centre-right coalition despite intense international opposition.

The two men arrived separately at the Hofburg Palace for talks with the head of state on a government programme which they presented to him yesterday and to agree to a Cabinet list.

The People's Party leader, Mr. Schuessel, Foreign Minister in the outgoing grand coalition since 1995, will be the Chancellor if Mr. Klestil gives his approval.

A small group of protesters threw eggs and fruit at Mr. Haider as he walked from his car but nothing hit him. Austria's European partners, appalled at the prospect of Mr. Haider's Freedom Party entering national government, kept up the pressure.

Mr. Klestil (67), former diplomat who was re-elected for a second six-year term in 1998, faced the most difficult decision of his career. He made clear his aversion to the new government in an unprecedented interview yesterday in which he lashed out at both Mr. Schuessel and Mr. Haider, but said he had little choice as they command 104 seats in the 183-seat Parliament. Mr. Klestil cannot call a new election unless Parliament first votes to dissolve itself. ``If I were to swear in this government, I would not do it out of personal conviction, because I fear that Austria would suffer internationally,'' Mr. Klestil said.

Mr. Schuessel has been trying to persuade Austria's partners that he can `tame' Mr. Haider. ``There is no doubt that Austria will prove that it will continue to be a reliable and stable partner in the European Union,'' he told the Orf radio. But the world remained unconvinced. Israel said it would withdraw its Ambassador and a leading international rating agency said Austria's AAA credit rating could be downgraded, which would raise the country's borrowing costs. The U.S. Secretary of State, Ms. Madeleine Albright, said Washington would watch Austria very closely ''and will take appropriate steps''.

The Austrian radio today said that Mr. Schuessel's State Secretary, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, would be Foreign Minister in the new government. Mr. Haider, who will remain provincial governor in Carinthia, has said his party will control the Finance Ministry.

- Reuters

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