HAITI ASSISTANCE DEMARCHE: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE

UNCLAS VIENNA 002922 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR EB/IFD, WHA/CAR, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN AU HA EUN SUBJECT: HAITI ASSISTANCE DEMARCHE: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE REF: STATE 155313 ¶1. (SBU) On August 30, Econ Unit Chief delivered reftel points to Klaus Koegler, Head of the MFA's European Union Development Policy Unit. Koegler pointed out that Austria currently had no bilateral assistance programs in Haiti and would not be able to help Haiti meet the anticipated financing gap in 2006. Koegler added that a GAERC working group would meet September 6 to discuss a proposal to release the $72 million in EC assistance currently under sanctions. Koegler said he believed there was support to lift the sanctions. However, he cautioned that the EC was reluctant to reprogram the funds for budgetary support, because Haiti had not yet fulfilled certain conditions. van Voorst