AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH AUSTRIAN FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 002252

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV KUNR AORC AU UNSC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH AUSTRIAN FOREIGN
MINISTER URSULA PLASSNIK, JULY 1, 2005

REF: A. (A) STATE 111657


B. (B) STATE 118559

Classified By: Ambassador W.L. Lyons Brown. Reason: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Plassnik told Ambassador
Brown that Austria strongly agreed with the U.S. on the need
to reform and strengthen the UN. In particular, Austria
supports increased emphasis on rule of law issues as the key
to ensuring stability in developing countries, sees a need to
establish a mechanism to fill in post-conflict gaps, and
agrees that the Commission on Human Rights must be remodeled
and redesigned. On other issues, Plassnik said that her
goals for the EU presidency focused on pressing for positive
developments in the Balkans and the Middle East. The
Foreign Minister said that she would coordinate with
colleagues in other ministries to find additional
contributions for the Polio Eradication Initiative (ref b).
End Summary.

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UN Reform
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2. (C) Noting that the Secretary considered the issue of
front-rank importance, the Ambassador outlined the seven U.S.
priorities for the reform process (development; reform of the
Commission on Human Rights; democracy initiatives and the
Democracy Fund; Budget, Management and Administrative Reform;
the Peacebuilding commission; adoption of the Comprehensive
Convention on International Terrorism; and Security Council
Reform (ref a). (Note: Septel reports a detailed discussion
of these themes with Austria's UN expert, Walter Lichem. End
Note.) On development, Plassnik said that Austria recognized
that Official Development Assistance (ODA) was only one of
various kinds of development assistance, and understood and
appreciated the U.S. role in channeling financial flows to
needy countries. However, her government strongly supported
the concept of jointly-agreed national official assistance
targets. Austria had worked very hard within EU experts,
and ministers, meetings to develop a common position on
sensible targets for official aid. She was pleased that
Austria,s national commitment of 0.51 percent of GDP by 2009
exceeded the current EU goal for the wealthier EU states.
She expected this figure to increase. On democracy
initiatives, Plassnik said that recent discussions she had
had with counterparts from developing nations had strongly
impressed on her the need to push human rights and good
governance concerns as a fundamental part of international
development efforts. As example after example demonstrated,
rule of law was the basis for foreign investment and economic
development.


3. (C) Without going into details of what Austria was
looking for, Plassnik said that Austria agreed that the Human
Rights Commission was in dire need of remodeling and a new
design. UNGA President Ping had told her during a June 8
visit to Austria that he was quite optimistic about the
prospects for positive institutional change. On the
Peacebuilding Commission, Plassnik was enthusiastic, noting
the organizational gap in management of post-conflict
regions. Austria, heavily involved in the Balkans, was
especially sensitive to the need to improve international
management capabilities for the period following the
withdrawal of peacekeeping troops. Plassnik noted that the
EU had discussed the issue at the expert level.


4. (C) On Security Council reform, the Foreign Minister
observed wryly that Austria found itself next to a neighbor
with a firm idea on what it wanted. She said Austria,s
position was to be coherent with the long term outcome )
i.e., it was clear that the EU would eventually speak with
one voice from a Security Council seat. Germany shared the
long-term goal but wished for a short-term fix as well.
Plassnik said she hoped this issue would not bog down in the
Council and that she was trying to focus public attention on
other areas of necessary UN reform.

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EU Presidency Themes
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5. (C) EU Presidency Themes: The ForMin said that two
subjects, the Balkans and the Middle East, had preoccupied
her during the first six months of her tenure, and she saw
both of these as centerpieces of the Austrian EU presidency
in 2006. She had gone to the Balkans repeatedly, most
recently twice in April, and had just returned from a tour of
the Middle East, which included discussions with Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Israeli
President Moshe Katsev, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,
and Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. Austria saw the
Balkans as key to its own security and the region was thus
&of utmost concern8 for Vienna. Austria was involved
politically, economically, and militarily in the Balkans, and
believed that this region was where Austria could set a
positive example of practical international cooperation.
Austria was very aware that the Kosovo question would have to
be resolved in the not-too-distant future; the Europeans were
working on it but it would come up to the UN level before
long. She noted that if EU enlargement ran into trouble
because of the recent referenda, the Balkan candidates would
be the first to be affected. Austria would work with
regional groupings to keep the Balkans on the European agenda
and to keep the Europeans engaged. For this, they would
appreciate U.S. input and support.


6. (C) Musing on her June 25-27 visit to the middle East,
Plassnik said that the Palestinian elections in January 2006
would present Austria with the first &delicate situation8
of its presidency. The Gaza withdrawal may be a turning
point in the region but the impact was not yet clear. The
Middle East was an issue not well understood by the European
publics and Austria would attempt to focus more on this
issue. Plassnik said that in her recent swing through the
region she had been impressed by what she had been told by
both parties about the U.S. commitment and particularly about
the interest, involvement, and commitment of the Secretary.
Plassnik had been told by Palestinian leaders such as
President Abbas that they welcome increased U.S. attention to
their issues and support for their concerns. Plassnik said
her meetings with Senior U.S. Security Coordinator Lieutenant
General Kip Ward and with Jim Wolfensohn, the Middle East
Quartet's special envoy to oversee Israel's withdrawal from
Gaza, convinced her that both were doing excellent work.
They were experienced and knew what they wanted to get. In
Palestine, she thought that rule of law projects were
extremely important so that Prime Minister Qurei fulfilled
his reconstruction promises to the people. Austria wanted to
help in this area.

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Visit to U.S.
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7. (C) The Ambassador asked Plassnik to be patient and
flexible regarding the timing and venue of her requested
early September visit to the U.S. to meet with the Secretary.
The weeks around the UNGA meeting are always hectic and very
full for the Secretary. Plassnik said she understood the
Secretary,s scheduling imperatives and time limitations but

SIPDIS
hoped she and the Secretary should meet for a serious
discussion well in advance of Austria,s takeover of the EU
presidency. The Ambassador noted a busy schedule of Austrian
visitors to the U.S. this fall ) the President, Chancellor,
and MFA, Interior, and Defense ministers all are interested
in visiting before Christmas. (Note: we now understand that
Economics Minister Bartenstein also hopes to visit this fall.
End note.)

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D/CIA Visit
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8. (C) The Ambassador briefed Plassnik on D/CIA Goss, June
22 visit to Vienna and the Director's discussions with
Interior Minister Prokop and Defense Minister Platter.

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Austrian Military Contributions to Afghanistan
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9. (C) The Ambassador thanked Plassnik for Austria,s
contribution of up to a hundred troops for Afghanistan
elections this fall, which will be one of the larger national
contingents on the ground. Plassnik remarked that she had
been greatly involved in pressing the issue in Parliament.

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Polio
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10. The Ambassador thanked Plassnik for Austria,s
contribution of $100,000 in January to the Polio Eradication
Initiative (ref b). He described the continuing need and
asked Plassnik for all possible generosity. The minister
said she understood the urgency and would discuss the issue
with her Minister colleagues.
Brown