SEEKING SUPPORT FOR OAS MISSION IN COLUMBIA:

UNCLAS VIENNA 003735 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR WHA/AND (NFIFE),WHA/OAS (SGARCIA),AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PTER CO AU OAS SUBJECT: SEEKING SUPPORT FOR OAS MISSION IN COLUMBIA: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE REF: STATE 207709 ¶1. Post conveyed reftel talking points November 18 to Andreas Melan, Deputy Chief (DAS-equivalent) in the MFA's America's Division. Econ Unit Chief followed up on November 23 with Melan, the GoA's Latin American expert. Melan noted that there was no direct EU support for the OAS Mission, although several countries, (Sweden, Ireland, and the Netherlands) provided bilateral assistance. Melan said the GoA had discussed internally the possibility of financing the OAS Mission, but in the end, decided not to due to budgetary constraints. (Note: Austria identifies "priority countries" in the developing world and concentrates its assistance in these nations, except for disaster relief. Neither Columbia nor the OAS are priority recipients for the GoA. End Note). Melan added that the GoA was considering funding for the OAS mission in Nicaragua. VAN VOORST