AUSTRIAN REACTION TO DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 002276

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA - BISHARAT AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2015
TAGS: PREL AU EUN
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN REACTION TO DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF THE
JULY 18-19 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC)

REF: STATE 124856

Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips. Reaso
n: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) EconPolCouns presented reftel demarche on July 6 to
Andreas Riecken, the Austrian Foreign Ministry's EU
Correspondent and ESDP Coordinator.


2. (C) Riecken had the following reactions to our points:

-- On China, the EU is preparing for the EU-China Summit in
New York in early September. As we noted, there are no
indications that the UK presidency will take up the issue of
the arms embargo.

-- On Turkey, Riecken said there is "no doubt that
negotiations will begin on October 3." The European
Commission will present the framework for the negotiations on
July 18.

-- On the High Level Event (HLE),Riecken said Austrian
President Heinz Fischer would attend.

-- On Uzbekistan, the discussion, Riecken said, would be on
how to deal with the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
Some member states are calling for an escalation of activity,
and some for the opposite.


3. (C) The GAERC agenda would also include Zimbabwe, the
Middle East Peace Process, and the World Trade Organization,
Riecken said. In addition, there would be a "reference" to
Croatia. Riecken said he did not expect the meeting to
result in major decisions, because Carla del Ponte had said
in June that she would need "two to three months" to assess
Croatia's action plan.


4. (C) Riecken said the coming GAERC should be a short
meeting. Austria was assuming a new role as part of the EU
troika. Austrian Political Director Thomas Mayr-Harting
would participate as part of the troika at the informal
Political Directors meeting at Bath.
Brown