AUSTRIA ON THE MARCH 30-31 FOREIGN MINISTERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 000832

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA - DILLE AND EUR/AGS - SAINT-ANDRE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2017
TAGS: EUN KPAL PREL XG IS IR ZI AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA ON THE MARCH 30-31 FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING (GYMNICH)

REF: STATE 37792

Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips


1. (SBU) EconPolCouns delivered reftel points on March 29 to
Anreas Riecken, the Austrian MFA's European Correspondent.
Riecken responded substantively as follows.


2. (C) Western Balkans: The discussion will focus on
Kosovo, Riecken said. It is very clear that the EU supports
Martti Ahtisaari's efforts. What the EU needs to decide,
Riecken siad, is how to proceed in an united way. In order
to achieve a Russian abstention in the UN Security Council,
Riecken reasoned, the text on Kosovo will probably have to be
rather weak and vague, serving as a basis for Kosovo to
declare independence. In that case, it will be crucial for
the EU to act in a united way to recognize Kosovo. This
would not be easy, he said: important voices in Slovakia,
Hungary and Romania opposed this result. The Rule of Law
mission was an important step, he added. An EU preparatory
team is currently in Kosovo to assess the situation. The
mission would be the largest civil ESDP mission ever, with
some 1,400 police and judges. Austria would participate,
folding its current police trainers in UNMIK over to the ESDP
mission, and identifying judges to serve.


3. (C) Middle East: Israeli-Palestinian Issues: Ministers
will discuss th eissue of how to deal with the Palestinian
National Unity Government (NUG),Riecken said. Austria
supports giving the NUG "a chance," and maintaining contacts
with non-Hamas members of the government. (Note: In that
connection, MFA Middle East and Africa Director Ralph Scheide
told us on March 29 that NUG Foreign Minister Abu Amr would
visit Vienna for meetings on April 4. Scheide said Austrian
FM Ursula Plassnik had met with Abu Amr in December, and had
found him a reasonable figure -- and one who enjoys the
complete support of President Abu Mazen. Scheide shared with
us (please protect) the key text of a letter Abu Amr sent to
Plassnik accepting her invitation to visit Vienna. The
letter, dated March 22, says, in part, "The new government
has expressed its commitment to honor the agreements which
the Palestine Liberation Organization signed with Israel.
After your statements of encouragement and support, the
government feels additionally obliged to synchronize its
positions and conduct on the ground with the wisehs, demands
and resolutions of the international community. The
government will also exert its utmost effort to ensure the
safe release of the Isreaeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in the
context of an honorable and fair prisoner exchange
arrangement. The new government has committed itself to work
hard towards consolidating the current truce with Israel and
towards expanding this truce to become comprehensive and
reciprocal. I would like to assure you that I, personally,
will exert maximum effort to achieve these goals." Scheide
noted that the NUG had not yet fulfilled the three principles
(renunciation of violence, recognition of Israel and
acceptance of Quartet agreements),but he said the Austrians
believed Abu Amr was a figure who could move the NUG toward
doing so. End note.)


4. (C) European Neighborhood Policy: Riecken said there was
a particular interest in developing cooperation among the
states bordering the Black Sea and the Danube basin. This
offered a unique forum in which to involve EU countries,
Russia, Turkey and the Caucasus in common activity, he said.


5. (C) Zimbabwe: This was not among the topics listed in
the Presidency's letter of invitation to the Gymnich meeting,
Riecken noted. However, many expected British Foreign
Secretary Beckett to raise Zimbabwe under "any other

SIPDIS
business." In any event, there would probably not be enough
time to engage in a thorough discussion of the issue, he
added.


6. (C) Missile Defense: Riecken said it was his
understanding that FM Plassnik "has no intention" of raising
Missile Defense (MD) at the Gymnich. He added that he
thought reports of her intervention at the recent GAERC lunch
were overblown. Plassnik did not, in fact, express
opposition to MD plans, he asserted. Instead, she noted that
her ministry had received public expressions of concern, and
she asked for further information. She also said that MD was
not an EU issue, but was a bilateral matter between the U.S.
and participating countries. Riecken said the Czech Republic
and Poland agreed to provide such information.


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7. (C) Darfur, Congo: Riecken reported "rumors" that the UK
would raise Darfur under "any other business." Likewise, he
said he had heard that Belgium wanted to raise the recent
riots in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under that
heading.
Kilner