CAPE TOWN CONVENTION: MORE FROM AUSTRIA

UNCLAS VIENNA 003775 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR L/PIL, EB/IFD/ODF AND EUR/AGS DOT FOR FAA/OGC USDOC FOR ITA/ELENZ MONTREAL FOR USICAO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP EFIN EAIR EIND ETRD KTIA AU SUBJECT: CAPE TOWN CONVENTION: MORE FROM AUSTRIA REFS: A) VIENNA 3709 B) STATE 199212 THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (SBU) On November 25, the Austrian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) followed-up ref A demarche with a letter, explaining that the EU and its members have decided to ratify the convention jointly, because of shared competencies. According to the MoJ, Spain is currently blocking joint ratification because of political differences with the U.K. concerning Gibraltar. ¶2. (SBU) The MoJ letter further explains that Austria will not ratify the convention separately, as Ireland has done, because the GoA wants to avoid the risk of the European Court of Justice taking Austria to court for infringing EU competencies. The MoJ hopes that Spain and the U.K. will soon resolve the Gibraltar problem, so that joint ratification can proceed. VAN VOORST