Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA288
2005-02-01 10:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

IRAQ ELECTIONS: AUSTRIANS MAKE POSITIVE

Tags:  PREL PGOV IZ AU 
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UNCLAS VIENNA 000288 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, EUR/AGS and EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ AU
SUBJECT: IRAQ ELECTIONS: AUSTRIANS MAKE POSITIVE
STATEMENT

REF: VIENNA 262

UNCLAS VIENNA 000288

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, EUR/AGS and EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ AU
SUBJECT: IRAQ ELECTIONS: AUSTRIANS MAKE POSITIVE
STATEMENT

REF: VIENNA 262


1. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik issued a
positive statement on January 31 on the Iraq elections
(para. 3 below). Plassnik highlighted the "courage" and
"will to democracy and peace" of the Iraqis, in defiance
of terrorist attacks.


2. Following our meeting with MFA Middle East Director
Ralph Scheide on January 28 (reftel),EconPol Couns and
Pol Unit Chief met with Foreign Ministry Spokesperson
Astrid Harz on January 31. Harz said Plassnik's
statement would appear in both German and English on the
MFA web site.


3. Begin Statement:

Foreign Minister Plassnik: "Elections in Iraq an
important step in the political renewal process"

Stabilization of the security situation remains number
one priority

Future Iraqi constitution should take adequate account of
the needs of all ethnic and religious groups

"The elections in Iraq have demonstrated the Iraqi
citizens' resolve for self-determination," said Minister
for Foreign Affairs Ursula Plassnik in an initial
reaction to Iraq's first multi-party elections following
the decades-long dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. "The
Iraqi people refused to let the terrorists' threats and
attempts at intimidation prevent them from exercising
their right to vote," stressed the Foreign Minister,
"which is a sign of their courage and absolute will to
democracy and peace".

Plassnik expressed her regret that on election day too
there had been terror attacks in Iraq that had claimed
over 40 human lives. There were still forces at large
that were working against the Iraqi people and their self-
determination, said the Foreign Minister. The fact that
the overwhelming majority of Iraq's Sunni Muslims had
stayed away from the polling stations was a cause for
concern, as it showed that Iraqi society is still
"dangerously divided."

The newly elected transitional assembly and the future
Iraqi government would therefore not only have to strive
to establish greater security and bring about the
consolidation of the political process; the assembly -
according to Plassnik - "will have to draft a
constitution that takes adequate account of the needs of
all ethnic and religious groups in Iraq and thus
contributes to the internal solidarity of the country."

Plassnik emphasized that the European Union had supported
the political renewal process in Iraq, including the
preparations for yesterday's elections, from the very
outset. "Europe should continue to advocate a unified,
stable and prospering Iraq in a peaceful environment.
However, the stabilization of the security situation must
remain the number one priority. That is the prime
prerequisite for the successful implementation of the
EU's assistance measures.

Austria is supporting the consolidation process within
the country by providing training for Iraqi police
officers and diplomats. A special training course for
this purpose will begin in the next few days.

End statement.

Brown