DESIGNATION OF HIZBALLAH AS A TERRORIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000437 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/ARN, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2014 TAGS: EFIN ETTC PTER IS LE AU EUN SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF HIZBALLAH AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION: AUSTRIAN RESPONSE REF: STATE 26062 Classified By: ECONOMIC/POLITICAL COUNSELOR GREGORY E. PHILLIPS REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D) (C) Embassy Vienna conveyed reftel points on February 14 to MFA A/S-equivalent for Counterterrorism Johann Froehlich (who is also Austria's representative in the EU Clearinghouse), and to our anti-terrorism contact in the Finance Ministry, Alfred Lejsek. Pol Unit Chief discussed the demarche with Froehlich's deputy, Wolfgang Spadinger later the same day. Spadinger confirmed that Austria would join an EU consensus to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization. Austria had received adequate information regarding Hizballah's support for terrorism, he added. However, Spadinger did not seem confident that the Clearinghouse would be able take action on February 16, since it takes only one member state to request a delay. Spadinger said he would be traveling to Brussels in a few days on other EU business. He would then consult with the Austrian Mission on the prospects for the Hizballah designation and offered to give us a readout afterwards. Brown