MLAT AND EXTRADITION PROTOCOL SIGNING JULY 20

UNCLAS VIENNA 002555 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OCS/ACS/EUR, EUR/AGS, L/LEI FOR KEN PROPP, L-T FOR DAPHNE COOK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CJAN AU SUBJECT: MLAT AND EXTRADITION PROTOCOL SIGNING JULY 20 REF (A) VIENNA 2093 AND PREVIOUS (B) COOK/ENSSLIN EMAIL OF JULY 27, 2005 ¶1. On July 20, the Ambassador and Austrian Justice Minister Karin Miklautsch signed U.S.-Austrian agreements on extradition and mutual legal assistance. (Note: Since July 23, Minister uses married name Karin Gastinger.) The Austrian Ministry of Justice Chef de Cabinet Michael Schoen, MOJ Protocol Chief Otto Mueller, and MOJ Bureau Chief for Criminal Affairs, Barbara Goeth-Flemmich, were among those attending the signing ceremony. ¶2. The agreements are part of a sequence of bilateral agreements that the United States is pursuing with all EU Member States in order to implement twin U.S.-EU agreements on extradition and mutual legal assistance signed in 2003. The new U.S.-Austrian agreements (bilateral protocols) update and supplement a 1998 bilateral extradition treaty and a 1995 bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty. News reports from the signing were positive, noting that the agreements would facilitate cooperation between the U.S. and Austrian law enforcement authorities in combating terrorism. ¶3. On July 28, Embassy Consular Section received the original full powers through the Austrian Foreign Affairs Ministry. (Note: Because full powers authorization for the Austrian Justice Minister was not ready for the July 20 signing ceremony the Austrian Justice Minister had to sign ad referendum.) The agreements, the Austrian full powers, and the unused treaty paper will be pouched to Daphne Cook at the Department's Treaty Office. Pouch registration number is 3386153. BROWN