AUSTRIA: NEXT STEPS ON AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000304

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/AGS - SAINT-ANDRE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2017
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PINS PREL AF AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA: NEXT STEPS ON AFGHANISTAN

REF: A. STATE 13880


B. VIENNA 180

Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips. Reaso
ns: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) EconPolCouns met with Thomas Hajnoczi, the Austrian
MFA's A/S-level Director for Political Military Affairs, to
present ref (a) points on next steps on Afghanistan.


2. (C) Hajnoczi reiterated ref (b) message that Austria does
not have the capacity to enhance its military presence in
Afghanistan. However, he said he plans to engage with the
Austrian Defense Ministry on the prospects of providing
non-lethal excess defense equipment to Afghanistan. (He
noted that Austria's neutrality law prohibits the provision
of lethal military equipment to a war zone.)


3. (C) Hajnoczi said Austria's priority remains the Balkans.
The vast bulk of Austrian assistance (peacekeeping
deployments, equipment, and police training) will go there.
He added that Austria will support the proposed EU police
mission in Afghanistan, although it is too early to tell
whether Austria can provide the appropriate police trainers
for the mission in Afghanistan.
McCaw