This was largely due to the efforts of the stellar Austrian foreign minister (and later chancellor) Bruno Kreisky who wanted to re-establish Vienna as an international hub and who later brought the United Nations to set up shop in Vienna too.

Geneva as the city of Calvin and its focus on human rights made it less than an ideal match for OPEC. Vienna was most accommodating to OPEC's wishes, such as later hosting the tigers of Gaddafi's son in the local zoo.