Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA1235
2005-04-14 13:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE ON BUSH-SHARON MEETING AND GAZA

Tags:  PREL KPAL KWBG IS GZ AU WB EUN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001235 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, EUR/ERA, AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG IS GZ AU WB EUN
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON BUSH-SHARON MEETING AND GAZA
DISENGAGEMENT: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE

REF: STATE 68063

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001235

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, EUR/ERA, AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2015
TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG IS GZ AU WB EUN
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON BUSH-SHARON MEETING AND GAZA
DISENGAGEMENT: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE

REF: STATE 68063

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


1. (C) EconPolCouns and Pol Unit Chief conveyed reftel
points to Austrian MFA A/S-equivalent for the Middle East and
North Africa Ralph Scheide and Israel/Palestine desk officer
Wolfgang Lapuh on April 14. Scheide welcomed the President's
reaffirmation of the road map as the guiding document for the
Middle East Peace Process. He underlined the importance of
an Abbas visit to Washington, saying "Abbas needs to have
something to show to his people before the July elections" in
order to keep Palestinian radical groups from gaining
strength. Since Gaza disengagement is "a reality in
progress," Scheide continued, "the real issue is what comes
next?" Scheide thought that the appointment of General Ward
was a positive development, and urged even greater engagement
on the part of the U.S. "The EU realizes that without the
clout of the U.S., no real movement is possible."


2. (C) In an aside, Scheide asked Lapuh to update the
briefing paper for Foreign Minister Plassnik for the April 15
EU Ministerial ("Gymnich") in light of our information.
Scheide added that the Middle East Peace Process as such was
not on the Gymnich agenda, but that Foreign Ministers would
discuss EU relations with Arab countries. Scheide observed
that formal EU statements following Gymnich meetings were the
exception, and thought it unlikely that the EU would issue a
statement on developments in Israel and Palestine on this
occasion.
Brown