NEW DELHI CONFERENCE ON AVIAN FLU: GOA MOST LIKELY NOT

UNCLAS VIENNA 002876 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES/IHA, EUR/AGS STATE PASS G-AIAG (BOGGESS AND SUMMERS) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU TBIO EAGR EAID PREL XX AU SUBJECT: NEW DELHI CONFERENCE ON AVIAN FLU: GOA MOST LIKELY NOT ATTENDING REF: STATE 159330 ¶1. On November 28, EmbOff conveyed reftel talking points to and discussed them with Maria Gregorich-Schega, head of the International Relations Section within the Youth and Family Affairs Department (MoH). She stated that Austria, due to a "total lack" of funds, would be "with 99% certitude" unable to participate in New Delhi. However, the General Director of Public Health, Hubert Hrabcik, is very interested in the avian influenza issue and warmly welcomed our views, she said. She would not completely rule out the possibility that he could decide over the weekend to take a last-minute flight to New Delhi. ¶2. Additionally, due to budget constraints, Austria will not make pledges on the occasion of the New Delhi Conference, Gregorich-Schega regretted. Austria had pledged and disbursed 1 million Euros at the Ministerial in Beijing 2006, but has since then allocated all resources earmarked for avian influenza measures to domestic preparedness plans. KILNER#