ENGAGING AUSTRIA ON GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

UNCLAS VIENNA 002662

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR S/WCI AMB PROSPER, EUR, EUR/PGI, AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL KPAO PGOV PREL AU
SUBJECT: ENGAGING AUSTRIA ON GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

REF: STATE 142348

This message is sensitive but unclassified.


1. (SBU) Embassy Vienna has provided a non-paper based on
reftel points to Austrian MFA State Secretary (Deputy Foreign
Minister-equivalent) Hans Winkler. The Public Affairs
Section will post this information to Embassy's public
website. Charge will also present the material to Chancellor
Schuessel's Chief of Staff, Martin Falb. Acting Econ/Pol
Counselor will solicit reactions on August 10 from MFA Acting
A/S-equivalent for the Americas. Embassy would welcome
continuing updates on evolving U.S. detention policies, for
example, on plans to repatriate more detainees to their
countries of origin.


3. (SBU) While the issue of Guantanamo has faded from the
headlines in Austria in recent months, there have been more
recent press stories about renditions. One influential daily
ran an article on August 5 on "ghost detainees." The larger
Austrian public is presently inclined to accept such reports
uncritically, viewing them as part of a larger pattern of
alleged U.S. abuse of prisoners. We would therefore welcome
any specific evidence we can cite, on an as-needed basis, to
rebut future allegations of systematic abuse.
van Voorst