1. A/DCM presented reftel demarche on December 27 to
Carolina Gudenus, the Austrian MFA's DAS-level Africa
Director. We stressed the need for high-level engagement in
the February 2007 Liberia Partners' Forum, pointing out that
Secretary Rice, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and

SIPDIS
World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz would open the meeting.
We reviewed President Sirleaf's accomplishments to date, and
focussed on the Liberia's continuing need for financial
assistance.



2. Gudenus said the situation in Liberia was a matter of
interest to Austria. However, she said Liberia was not among
the "priority countries" to which Austria devotes the bulk of
its international assistance. (Note: Austria seeks to
maximize the impact of its assistance by channeling funds to
long-term programs in a small number of recipient countries.
End note.) It was likely that Austria would cover the
February meeting through its Embassy in Washington, she said.
Phillips