NEW WAY FORWARD ON IRAQ: POST VIEWS ON AUSTRIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 001088 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/RSAT - GLANCY AND DANIELEWSKI STATE ALSO FOR EUR/AGS - SAINT-ANDRE E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2017 TAGS: MARR MASS MOPS PREL PTER IZ AU SUBJECT: NEW WAY FORWARD ON IRAQ: POST VIEWS ON AUSTRIAN PARTICIPATION REF: A. STATE 55436 ¶B. VIENNA 1016 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Scott F. Kilner. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Embassy Vienna assesses the prospects of Austrian participation in military missions in Iraq as nil. The Austrian government remains willing to participate in Iraqi police training (although not inside Iraq). The GOA also supports commercial engagement in the more secure areas of Iraq, and Austrian firms have demonstrated a willingness to undertake such activities. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Austria has consistently opposed participation in military missions in Iraq. At the time of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Austria denied U.S. military overflights and transits to the region, citing Austria's neutrality laws. (Since May 2003, however, Austria has approved all such missions -- numbering some 10,000 per year -- on the basis of the determination that "major military operations" had ended.) Austria will not deploy military personnel or provide military equipment to Iraq. ¶3. (C) At the same time, Austria has participated in training for Iraqi officials and security forces outside of Iraq. Austrian police trainers were the first non-U.S./UK personnel to staff the Iraqi Police Academy in Jordan, and Austria has maintained its presence there to the present. Austria funded and hosted Iraqi diplomats at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna, and it has offered to host other Iraqi personnel in Austria. During the Austrian EU presidency (January to June 2006),Austria maintained a Charge d'Affairs in Baghdad. Locally engaged personnel currently staff an Austrian Trade Office in Baghdad. ¶4. (C) The Austrian government supports commercial engagement by Austrian firms in Iraq. Austrian Airlines (AUA) became the first western carrier with a regular route to Iraq, initiating a Vienna-Erbil flight in 2007. Austrian firms participated in the inaugural flight on this route, and businesses are interested in pursuing opportunities in northern Iraq -- especially in Erbil -- as long as the security situation there remains relatively calm. ¶5. (C) In an April 16 meeting, Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer told the Ambassador that Austria "would be willing to look into" any proposal to help stabilize the country, as long as it did not involve "overtly military" missions (ref b). He expressed his personal support for the police training mission in Jordan. That said, there is no support within Austria -- in government or in society -- for Austrian military or security assistance within Iraq. McCaw