AUSTRIA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON STOPPING TRAVEL TO

S E C R E T VIENNA 000918 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2017 TAGS: PTER KTFN PREL AU TU IZ SUBJECT: AUSTRIA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON STOPPING TRAVEL TO ANNUAL PKK TERRORIST MEETING REF: STATE 41828 Classified By: Economic-Political Counselor Gregory E. Phillips for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) On April 5 EconUnit Chief met with Bettina Kirnbauer, Deputy Head of the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs' Justice and Home Affairs Division, to convey USG concerns about PKK leaders in Europe traveling to Iraq in the April/May period. EconUnit Chief noted that, with Europe's only regularly scheduled service to Erbil, Vienna would be a logical place for PKK leaders to transit. EconUnit Chief asked Kirnbauer to share our concerns with Austrian law enforcement authorities to monitor the Erbil flights closely for travel by known PKK leaders. Kirnbauer welcomed this information, as well as any communication through law enforcement and intelligence channels on specific movements through Vienna. McCaw