DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: SEEKING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR

UNCLAS VIENNA 003880 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM IZ AU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: SEEKING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DECEMBER 15 ELECTION REF: STATE 220728 ¶1. Ambassador raised our desire for a strong national statement of support for the December 15 Iraqi elections with Austrian Foreign Ministry Secretary General Johannes Kyrle on December 13. Separately, EconPolCouns discussed the issue with Ralph Scheide, the MFA's assistant secretary-level Director for Middle East and African Affairs. ¶2. Kyrle said he was almost certain the upcoming European Council meeting would address the Iraq elections; he would also consider the possibility of an Austrian national statement. Scheide said he thought it likely that Austria would issue a supportive statement, assuming all went as well as we all expected. ¶3. On out of country voting (OCV),Scheide noted that Austria was one of the centers in Europe for Iraqi voting. Austria would facilitate the Iraqi effort, Scheide said. ¶4. On debt, we note that Austria has forgiven 80 percent of Iraq's debt, a sum which amounts to approximately one percent of Austria's GDP. MCCAW