FUNDING AFGHANISTAN'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS:

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001192

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA/AR, SA/PAB, DRL, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2015
TAGS: PREL EAID AF AU UNSC
SUBJECT: FUNDING AFGHANISTAN'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS:
AUSTRIAN RESPONSE

REF: A) STATE 61560 B) VIENNA 1136 C) VIENNA 1152

Classified By: ECONOMIC-POLITICAL COUNSELOR GREGORY E. PHILLIPS
REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (SBU) Embassy discussed ref (a) points on April 5 with
Rudolf Lennkh, the Foreign Ministry's A/S-equivalent for the
Americas (ref b). We also conveyed the information to Peter
Storer, Director for South and Southeast Asia, and followed
up with him on April 11. Storer, whose office is
coordinating the issue, said that the decision on a possible
bilateral decision depends on the outcome of the current
interagency process to develop an strategy for Austrian
assistance. The goal, Storer said, is "to focus resources in
order to make the biggest impact possible." While Austria
wants to be involved in Afghanistan's reconstruction, Storer
noted that the Austrian Development Agency (ref b) does not
intend to designate Afghanistan as one of its priority areas.


2. (C) COMMENT: As we reported ref (c),the Austrian Defense
Ministry will recommend, with MFA support, that Austria
deploy troops to Konduz to help provide election security.
The interagency priority-setting exercise may result in
Austria choosing to assume responsibilities for election
security, rather than making a large cash contribution for
the conduct of the elections.
Brown