MERCURY PARTNERSHIPS WITH AUSTRIA: NOT NOW, MAYBE

UNCLAS VIENNA 003879

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR OES/ENV (JTHOMPSON) AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EMIN AU UNEP
SUBJECT: MERCURY PARTNERSHIPS WITH AUSTRIA: NOT NOW, MAYBE
LATER

REF: STATE 218928


1. Post discussed reftel talking points December 9 with
Raimund Quint, Deputy Head in the Ministry of Agriculture
and Environment's Chemicals Policy Department. Quint said
the GoA welcomed the idea of partnerships in principle.
However, he noted that financial and budgetary restraints
currently prevented Austria from engaging in such
partnerships, at least until the end of 2006. Quint cited
increased spending related to Austria's EU Presidency the
first half of 2006 as the major constraint. Quint said that
Austria would be more receptive to engaging in partnerships
in the second half of 2006.


2. Quint said Austria was particularly keen on projects
that aimed to reduce the presence of products containing
mercury, e.g., thermometers, from the market. The European
Commission had started an initiative on this issue in
January 2005.


3. Quint hoped for "better cooperation with the USG" on the
Chemicals Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM) policy within the UNEP at the February
2006 Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) in Dubai.
MCCAW#