AUSTRALIA IN WAIT-AND-SEE MODE ON ILO DIRECTOR

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000898 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR DRL/IL and IO/S GEORGE ABRAHAMS STATE ALSO FOR IO/T RICK DRISCOLL GENEVA FOR CHARLES STONECIPHER E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ELAB KTDB AS SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA IN WAIT-AND-SEE MODE ON ILO DIRECTOR GENERAL'S PROPOSED 2006-07 BUDGET REF: STATE 94763 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (U) We passed reftel talking points to Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) Director of International Relations Scott J. Evans on May 23. We also raised the issue during a dinner Charge hosted for Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Kevin Andrews on May ¶25. Andrews and Evans responded that Australia shared U.S. concerns about the growth of the ILO budget for 2006-2007 and would continue to work with the USG to urge greater fiscal restraint at the upcoming International Labor Conference (ILC). Evans added, however, that the Australian delegation would wait to see if the DG presented a revised budget to the ILC financial committee before deciding whether to accompany the U.S. representative to a joint meeting with the DG as proposed in reftel. STANTON