Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA39
2005-01-07 14:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

DEMARCHES TO AUSTRIA: USG CALL FOR DONOR SUPPORT

Tags:  AEMR EAID PGOV XO AU 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 000039 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR EAID PGOV XO AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES TO AUSTRIA: USG CALL FOR DONOR SUPPORT
TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS AND GOALS FOR JANUARY 11 UNOCHA TSUNAMI
DONOR CONFERENCE

REF: A. (A) STATE 3792


B. (B) STATE 959

C. (C) 04 VIENNA 4455 AND PREVIOUS

This message is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please handle
accordingly.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 000039

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR EAID PGOV XO AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES TO AUSTRIA: USG CALL FOR DONOR SUPPORT
TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS AND GOALS FOR JANUARY 11 UNOCHA TSUNAMI
DONOR CONFERENCE

REF: A. (A) STATE 3792


B. (B) STATE 959

C. (C) 04 VIENNA 4455 AND PREVIOUS

This message is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please handle
accordingly.


1. (U) The Ambassador presented refs (a) and (b) demarches
on January 7 to Foreign Ministry Secretary General (Deputy
Secretary equivalent) Johannes Kyrle. Kyrle broke out of a

SIPDIS
tsunami strategy meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs,

SIPDIS
Interior and Defense in order to see the Ambassador. Foreign
Minister Plassnik was going to leave momentarily for an EU
meeting in Brussels on the topic. On the January 11 meeting
in Geneva, the Ambassador reviewed ref (a) points outlining
key U.S. goals for the meeting.

--------------
Austrian Relief Contributions
--------------


2. (U) Kyrle listed the following contributions to disaster
relief and reconstruction:

-- The Austrian federal government's pledge of eight million
euros "was doubled" by the state governments. (Note: In
addition, Austrian private sector contributions total some 18
million euros. End note.)

-- An Austrian military contingent has deployed to Sri
Lanka, and has taken up contact with the U.S. forces in
Galle. The Austrian unit, from the NBC (nuclear, biological
and chemical warfare unit),will provide water purification
systems which can serve some 40,000 people per day. The unit
will remain four to six weeks, with a possibility of
prolonging the mission, if needed. There are also demining
experts in the Austrian contingent from the Austrian
deminingj school in Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria. The
Austrian military contingent also includes logistics experts,
at the request of the UN. Kyrle said the Austrians have been
asked to name a liaison officer to the U.S. forces in Sri
Lanka.

-- As one of six net payers in the EU, Austria is
responsible for part of any EU contribution.

--------------
Austrian Casualties
--------------


3. (U) The Austrian MFA estimates that there were 5,296
Austrians in the affected region. The MFA confirmed the
welfare of some 4,800 in the first week after the disaster.
Some 480 remain missing, of which 300 were in Thailand and
Sri Lanka. In Thailand, the Austrians think there were heavy
Austrian casualties in two hotels, the Sofitel and the Sea
View, which catered mainly to Austrians, Germans and Swedes.


4. (U) The Austrian government has repatriated all the
Austrians who wanted to come back. This included 70 injured,
some of whom required medical attention on the aircaft.
Kyrle mentioned that Austria used Austrian Airlines (AUA)
planes for transport, outfitting them with medical teams and
equipment to permit even surgery to occur during the flight.
For the time being, only two injured Austrians remain in
Bangkok hospitals, and Austrian doctors are present to give
them clearance to travel back to Austria.

--------------
EU Consular Coordination (or lack thereof)
--------------


5. (SBU) The normally placid Kyrle complained in rather
bitter terms about the lack of consular coordination among EU
member states in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
Austria pressed hard for mutual consular assistance among EU
states after the disaster struck, but met very little
success. Only Sweden and Germany were "somewhat positive,"
while others, especially the UK, objected. The result was
that Austria, with diplomatic representation only in Bangkok,
Delhi, Kuala Lampur and Jakarta, had to send 200 officers to
the region. Kyrle said the EU itself, which has its own
representation in the region, did not even reply to Austrian
requests for assistance until a full week after the diaster.
The EU representation in Bangkok, with a staff of 85 people
and an Austrian at its head, had no orders to intervene on
behalf of any member state, Kyrle said. The draft EU
constitution speaks of mutual assistance in the development
of a common EU foreign service, and the Austrians had always
touted EU membership as an opportunity to get assistance in
such disasters. However, in the event, "each EU member was
on its own," he said. The most direct contacts Austria had
were with Switzerland -- not even an EU member.


6. (SBU) Foreign Minister Plassnik was going to make this a
primary topic in the January 7 meeting in Brussels, Kyrle
promised.

--------------
January 11 Meeting in Geneva
--------------


7. (U) Austria would "of course" send people to the January
11 meeting in Geneva, although Kyrle was not prepared to
announce names. Kyrle said that the Austrian government
would meet again on Sunday, January 9, to take stock of
Austria's position.
Brown