DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: SOLICITING DONATIONS FOR

UNCLAS VIENNA 000568

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/PRA, PM/WRA, EUR/RPM AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC MARR MOPS PREL UP AU NATO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: SOLICITING DONATIONS FOR
NATO TRUST FUND TO DESTROY UKRAINIAN MUNITIONS, SA/LW,
MANPADS

REF: STATE 32708

This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please handle
accordingly.


1. (U) EconPolCouns and Pol Unit Chief delivered reftel
demarche on February 28 to Thomas Hajnoczi, the MFA's
assistant secretary-equivalent Director for Political
Military Affairs, and Robert Zischg, MFA Deputy Director for
Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.


2. (U) Hajnoczi and Zischg said Austria had a great interest
in the NATO trust fund to destroy Ukrainian munitions.
Hajnoczi said Austria had participated in leading a trust
fund, and appreciated what went into the effort. Hajnoczi
said someone from the Austrian Embassy in Brussels would
certainly attend the March 11 meeting.


3. (SBU) Hajnoczi said he would have to look into the
question of funding support -- "that depends on our Finance
Ministry," he added. Hajnoczi said he had fought hard to
carve out a small line item to permit the arms control
section to designate funds for certain activities. Zischg
said the Austrians had obligated these funds to the Balkans
and "one or two African countries." They would require
additional authorities to contribute to the trust fund for
Ukraine.
Brown