Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06VIENNA829
2006-03-20 10:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
Abbas Plea for Continuation of EU Assistance
how-toVZCZCXRO4872 RR RUEHAG RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHVI #0829 0791044 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 201044Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2794 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0771
UNCLAS VIENNA 000829
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR EUR, EUR/ERA, EUR/AGS AND NEA/IPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV IS EUN AU
SUBJECT: Abbas Plea for Continuation of EU Assistance
CORRECTED COPY OF VIENNA 786 (TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL
ADDRESSEES). THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.
UNCLAS VIENNA 000829
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR EUR, EUR/ERA, EUR/AGS AND NEA/IPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV IS EUN AU
SUBJECT: Abbas Plea for Continuation of EU Assistance
CORRECTED COPY OF VIENNA 786 (TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL
ADDRESSEES). THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.
1. (U) PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS VISITED
VIENNA ON MARCH 14. THE TALKS WITH GOA OFFICIALS
CENTERED ON ABBAS' PLEA FOR CONTINUATION OF EU ASSISTANCE
TO THE PALESTINIANS.
2. (U) ABBAS UNDERLINED THE PALESTINIAN COMMITMENT TO
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, THE OSLO ACCORDS, THE ROADMAP,
AND AGREEMENTS WITH ISRAEL. HE STRESSED THAT THE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING
CHOSEN THE PATH OF DEMOCRACY AND HAVING MADE ITS CHOICE
IN FAVOR OF HAMAS. ABBAS NOTED THAT FATAH AND HAMAS WERE
CURRENTLY CONDUCTING TALKS IN SEARCH OF A JOINT POLITICAL
BASIS. NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL SHOULD CONTINUE AFTER
THE ISRAELI ELECTIONS IN ORDER TO FIND COMMON SOLUTIONS,
HE SAID.
3. (U) CHANCELLOR SCHUESSEL SAID THE EU RESPECTED THE
ELECTION RESULT, BUT UNDERSCORED THAT MUTUAL RECOGNITION
OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, RENUNCIATION OF VIOLENCE BY BOTH
SIDES, DISARMAMENT, AND OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL
ACCORDS WAS INDISPENSABLE AS THE BASIS FOR FURTHER EU
ASSISTANCE. SCHUESSEL STRESSED THE EU NEEDED GUARANTEES
THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT WOULD NOT GO TOWARD TERRORIST OR
EXTREMIST PURPOSES. OTHERWISE, THE EU WOULD SEEK OTHER
PATHS TO HELP THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. SCHUESSEL
EXPLICITLY PRAISED ABBAS AS "LEADER WITH FIRM PRINCIPLES,
READY TO BUILD NEW BRIDGES AND TO CROSS EXISTING ONES."
4. (SBU) COMMENT: SCHUESSEL'S REFERENCE TO THE
POSSIBILITY OF LOOKING FOR "OTHER PATHS TO HELP THE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE" PUT A RECENT EU PROPOSAL AT THE MARCH
10-11 FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN SALZBURG IN
PERSPECTIVE. CFSP HIGH REPRESENTATIVE JAVIER SOLANA AND
EU COMMISSIONER BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER HAD LAUNCHED A
WORKING PAPER THREATENING TO CUT 50 PERCENT OF ASSISTANCE
TO THE PALESTINIANS IF HAMAS DID NOT RENOUNCE VIOLENCE
AND RECOGNIZE ISRAEL.
McCAW
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR EUR, EUR/ERA, EUR/AGS AND NEA/IPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV IS EUN AU
SUBJECT: Abbas Plea for Continuation of EU Assistance
CORRECTED COPY OF VIENNA 786 (TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL
ADDRESSEES). THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.
1. (U) PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS VISITED
VIENNA ON MARCH 14. THE TALKS WITH GOA OFFICIALS
CENTERED ON ABBAS' PLEA FOR CONTINUATION OF EU ASSISTANCE
TO THE PALESTINIANS.
2. (U) ABBAS UNDERLINED THE PALESTINIAN COMMITMENT TO
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, THE OSLO ACCORDS, THE ROADMAP,
AND AGREEMENTS WITH ISRAEL. HE STRESSED THAT THE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR HAVING
CHOSEN THE PATH OF DEMOCRACY AND HAVING MADE ITS CHOICE
IN FAVOR OF HAMAS. ABBAS NOTED THAT FATAH AND HAMAS WERE
CURRENTLY CONDUCTING TALKS IN SEARCH OF A JOINT POLITICAL
BASIS. NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL SHOULD CONTINUE AFTER
THE ISRAELI ELECTIONS IN ORDER TO FIND COMMON SOLUTIONS,
HE SAID.
3. (U) CHANCELLOR SCHUESSEL SAID THE EU RESPECTED THE
ELECTION RESULT, BUT UNDERSCORED THAT MUTUAL RECOGNITION
OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, RENUNCIATION OF VIOLENCE BY BOTH
SIDES, DISARMAMENT, AND OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL
ACCORDS WAS INDISPENSABLE AS THE BASIS FOR FURTHER EU
ASSISTANCE. SCHUESSEL STRESSED THE EU NEEDED GUARANTEES
THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT WOULD NOT GO TOWARD TERRORIST OR
EXTREMIST PURPOSES. OTHERWISE, THE EU WOULD SEEK OTHER
PATHS TO HELP THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. SCHUESSEL
EXPLICITLY PRAISED ABBAS AS "LEADER WITH FIRM PRINCIPLES,
READY TO BUILD NEW BRIDGES AND TO CROSS EXISTING ONES."
4. (SBU) COMMENT: SCHUESSEL'S REFERENCE TO THE
POSSIBILITY OF LOOKING FOR "OTHER PATHS TO HELP THE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE" PUT A RECENT EU PROPOSAL AT THE MARCH
10-11 FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN SALZBURG IN
PERSPECTIVE. CFSP HIGH REPRESENTATIVE JAVIER SOLANA AND
EU COMMISSIONER BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER HAD LAUNCHED A
WORKING PAPER THREATENING TO CUT 50 PERCENT OF ASSISTANCE
TO THE PALESTINIANS IF HAMAS DID NOT RENOUNCE VIOLENCE
AND RECOGNIZE ISRAEL.
McCAW