Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08VIENNA1176
2008-08-14 06:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

AUSTRIANS REMAIN UNDECIDED ON NSG DRAFT EXCEPTION

Tags:  PARM PREL ETTC AORC AU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 140618Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0778
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0281
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0474
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 001176 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/RA (KOCA),ISN/NESS (DELABARRE),SCA/RA
(MCCLELLAN),AND SCA/PPD (SULLIVAN)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC AORC AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIANS REMAIN UNDECIDED ON NSG DRAFT EXCEPTION
FOR INDIA

REF: A. STATE 85948

B. VIENNA 1058

Classified by: Ambassador David F. Girard-diCarlo for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 001176

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/RA (KOCA),ISN/NESS (DELABARRE),SCA/RA
(MCCLELLAN),AND SCA/PPD (SULLIVAN)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC AORC AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIANS REMAIN UNDECIDED ON NSG DRAFT EXCEPTION
FOR INDIA

REF: A. STATE 85948

B. VIENNA 1058

Classified by: Ambassador David F. Girard-diCarlo for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Ambassador discussed reftel A points August 13
with Johannes Kyrle, MFA SecGen. He emphasized that the
U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Initiative is of vital importance to
the USG, and to the global non-proliferation regime. He
stressed that the NSG needs to act quickly in order for the
Initiative to be completed this year. Austria and other NSG
members who have concerns about the Initiative should discuss
the matter before the August 21-22 plenary, so that members
are prepared to make a decision at the plenary. (Note: The
Ambassador spoke to Kyrle after being unable to reach FM
Plassnik, who was attending the EU GAERC in Brussels, and
State Secretary Winkler, who was on leave. End Note).


2. (C) The Ambassador told Kyrle that the USG was sensitive
to the fact that Austria will hold national elections in
September, and GOA leaders feel pressure from Austrian
opponents of the Initiative. At the same time, he stressed,
the GOA needs to understand that the Indian Government took a
great political risk in accepting the Initiative.


3. (C) Kyrle said MFA officials were still intensely
discussing the Initiative and he could not say what position
the GOA would take at the NSG plenary. He thanked the
Ambassador for the call and said GOA leaders understood the
U.S. position and the need for quick action. He said he
would convey the U.S. position to FM Plassnik when she
returns from Brussels late August 13 or early August 14.


4. (C) The Charge also discussed reftel A points August 12,
while the Ambassador was on official travel, with Ralph
Scheide, Acting MFA Poldir, and Nicole Bayer, Acting Foreign
Policy Advisor to the Chancellor. Scheide said the GOA
shares the USG's views concerning the larger goals of the
Initiative, and the specific benefits of bringing India into
the international non-proliferation framework. However, he
said, the GOA objects to certain elements of the text of the

exception for India. Scheide noted that paragraph 2 of the
exception text states that the listed nonproliferation
commitments and actions are voluntary. Moreover, the
permission granted in paragraph 3 a. and b. to transfer
nuclear related materials to India is not explicitly
contingent on India's fulfillment of the non-proliferation
actions in paragraph 2. He averred that Austria, and a
significant number of other "like-minded" NSG members, would
prefer to see a text that more clearly required India to
carry out the non-proliferation actions.


5. (C) Bayer emphasized to the Charge that the GOA does not
believe it will be possible for the NSG to reach a decision
at the August 21-22 plenary. She said NSG members will need
to have a thorough discussion and debate before reaching a
decision, and this will require more than one plenary. The
Charge vigorously disagreed, arguing that it should be quite
possible to reach a decision August 21-22 if NSG members
seriously discuss the relevant issues in the remaining days
before the plenary. It would be a mistake to go into next
week's plenary with an assumption from the outset that a
second plenary would be necessary.


6. (C) The Charge noted that the Initiative, and the
exception text, were the result of long negotiations between
the U.S. and India. The effort has resulted in an agreement
that both sides can accept. This is an opportunity to forge
a new relationship with India and bring India into the
international non-proliferation structures for the first
time. This is clearly a net gain for non-proliferation,
which explains why IAEA Director ElBaradei has offered his
strong backing.


7. (C) The Charge encouraged GOA officials to raise their
concerns directly with the Indians. Scheide said that
Alexander Marschik, MFA disarmament director, had met with
the Indian Ambassador August 11, but Marschik left Vienna the
next day and Scheide did not have a readout of the meeting.

Comment: Domestic Political Concerns
--------------


8. (C) Our GOA interlocutors did not emphasize domestic
political concerns in these latest meetings, but they have

VIENNA 00001176 002 OF 002


frequently done so in the past. State Secretary Winkler,
Poldir Mayr-Harting and others have averred to us that it
would be difficult for Austria to approve the India exception
"without a fight" in the run-up to the September 28 national
elections. They also made this point to U/S Burns during his
July visit (reftel B). The Austrian public and political
class is starkly opposed to nuclear energy. Unlike the IAEA
board's procedure of reaching consensus without a vote, the
NSG reaches decisions based on unanimity, meaning that
Austria theoretically has a veto. That leaves the GOA with
no political cover against Austrian opponents of the
Initiative. Our contacts argue that the GOA needs show that
it managed to add something to "improve" the exception text.
How committed they are to that goal may depend on how much
backing they get from "like-minded" governments.
Girard-diCarlo