TFXO01: AUSTRIAN AID TO TOTAL 67 MILLION DOLLARS

UNCLAS VIENNA 000072 SIPDIS STATE FOR TF-1 AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR EAID PGOV MOPS CASC XO AU SUBJECT: TFXO01: AUSTRIAN AID TO TOTAL 67 MILLION DOLLARS OVER THREE YEARS REF: A. (A) VIENNA 39 ¶B. (B) 04 VIENNA 4455 ¶C. (C) 04 VIENNA 4440 -------------- Austrian Aid to total USD 67 million -------------- ¶1. Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel announced on January 9 that Austrian assistance to the region of the Asian tsunami would total 50 million Euros (USD 67 million at current exchange rates) for 12 assistance projects. Speaking after a meeting with representatives of federal, state and local governments and the "social partners" (the employers' and workers' chambers),Schuessel said the funds would come from all levels of government. The federal gogernment would provide 34 million Euros, the states would provide 10 million Euros, and local governments would give 6 million Euros. The focus of the projects will be reconstruction. Projects include construction of "SOS Children's Villages" for orphans in the region; construction of hospitals; environmental assistance projects; and reconstruction of water treatment facilities. -------------- Military and Civilian Deployments -------------- ¶2. Austria has sent some 200 officials to provide assistance, both for Austrian victims and for the countries of the region. A military detachment of 77 people is providing both water purification and de-mining assistance in Sri Lanka. Austria is using a C-130 transport aircraft to support its deployments. (Note: Austria has three C-130s, which it uses primarily to support peacekeeping deployments in the Balkans and the Golan Heights. Two are currently undergoing scheduled maintenance. End note.) -------------- 384 Austrians Still Missing -------------- ¶3. The Foreign Ministry counts 384 Austrians with whom there has been no contact. The MFA confirms eleven Austrians dead. The MFA repatriated some 1,700 Austrians. Brown