UKRAINIAN PM YANUKOVYCH ASKS AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000919

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV AU UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINIAN PM YANUKOVYCH ASKS AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR
GUSENBAUER TO MEDIATE POLITICAL CRISIS (C)

REF: KYIV 805

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Scott F. Kilner for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)


1. (U) Austrian media has prominently reported on Ukrainian
Prime Minister Yanukovych's April 5 news conference, in which
he announced that he had asked Austrian Chancellor Alfred
Gusenbauer to mediate the political crisis in Ukraine.
Austrian press reports quoted Yanukovych as pointing to
Austria's neutrality as the key reason why the Ukrainian PM
turned to Gusenbauer. The Austrian Chancellery and Foreign
Ministry have publicly refused to comment on the reports.
Gerhard Mangott from the Vienna Institute for International
Politics expressed surprise, noting that, to his knowledge,
"Yanukovych does not have any special relations to Austria."
Several press stories warned against Austria's involvement,
arguing the German EU Presidency should take the lead in any
such efforts.


2. (C) On April 6, DCM spoke with the Chancellor's Foreign
Policy Advisor, Bernhard Wrabetz. Wrabetz confirmed that
Yanukovych had indeed called the Chancellor on April 5 to
discuss the possibility of Gusenbauer mediating between the
two sides. The Chancellor, according to Wrabetz, had
responded that, if both parties in the dispute would jointly
request mediation, Gusenbauer would consider it. Without
such a consensus, however, Gusenbauer would not get involved.
Hannues Porias, Head of the MFA's Central, Eastern, and
Southeastern European Division, confirmed to us that Austria
had no prior role in mediating between the two Ukrainain
camps.
McCaw