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

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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