U.S.-EU CONFERENCE ON IRAQ: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE

UNCLAS VIENNA 001740 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/I, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID IZ AU EUN UN SUBJECT: U.S.-EU CONFERENCE ON IRAQ: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE REF: A) STATE 93742 B) STATE 94861 This message is sensitive but unclassified. ¶1. (SBU) Economic-Political Counselor and Political Unit Chief discussed ref (A) information on May 23 with Austrian MFA A/S-equivalent for Africa and the Middle East Ralph Scheide and Director for Gulf Affairs Oskar Wuestinger. Scheide observed that the U.S. and EU now appeared to have a "complete identity of objectives" for Iraq as well as in their aims for the U.S.-EU International Conference in Brussels. Scheide hoped that the conference would have a significant "impact on the situation on the ground" in Iraq. ¶2. (SBU) Scheide thought the conference should serve to highlight the EU's preparedness to help. He noted that Austria had offered to provide assistance in drafting Iraq's new constitution, in particular its expertise in addressing questions of federalism and multi-ethnic "standards." ¶3. (SBU) Scheide offered to inform us of the composition and leadership of the Austrian representatives for the conference as soon as those arrangements have been finalized. Wuestinger added that he was engaged in the run-up to the PrepComm meeting. We said that we were expecting additional information about the PrepComm (ref B) and agreed to get back in touch to discuss both the organizational and substantive aspects further. Brown