TFUS01: AUSTRIAN ASSISTANCE OFFER, CONSULAR

UNCLAS VIENNA 002957 SIPDIS STATE FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND EUR/AGS JOINT STAFF FOR J-3, J-5/EUR - CDR SQUIRES DHS FOR FEMA/OIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS AEMR CASC MARR AMGT US AU KHLS SUBJECT: TFUS01: AUSTRIAN ASSISTANCE OFFER, CONSULAR RESPONSE REF: A. (A) STATE 163421 ¶B. (B) STATE 163366 ¶C. (C) STATE 163279 ¶D. (D) VIENNA 2956 ¶E. (E) VIENNA 2955 ¶1. On September 5, EconPolCouns met with Christian Berlakovits, the Austrian MFA's Consular Affairs head, to discuss Austria's offers of assistance to the U.S. and its efforts to provide consular assistance to its own citizens. -------------- Austrian Assistance Offer -------------- ¶2. Berlakovits reviewed Austria's offer of technical disaster assistance and its response to the U.S. needs list (refs d and e). He noted that Austria would integrate its offer into the EU's overall assistance package. Berlakovits said Austria wanted to be able to respond quickly. Cabinet officials led task forces through the weekend to ensure that Austrian supplies and personnel could move as soon as they got the word to do so. (Note: Per ref c, in order to avoid straining capacity in the disaster region, the dispatch of Austria's water purification, chemical decontamination and urban search-and-rescue teams is contingent on a U.S. request. End note.) -------------- Austrian Consular Assistance to its Nationals -------------- ¶3. Berlakovits expressed Austria's gratitude to the USG, the Department, and U.S. disaster relief agencies for support for Austria's crisis intervention team in evacuating Austrian nationals. Five Austrian government officials and four members of the Austrian Red Cross are operating out of the Austrian Consulate in Houston. Some 100 Austrian citizens are in Houston receiving assistance. Berlakovits reported that two Austrian citizens for whom the GOA received welfare and whereabouts enquiries remain unaccounted for: Karl Zavodnik, an Austrian-American dual national, and Guy Nzeribe. Brown