AUSTRIAN ASSISTANCE TO GEORGIA

UNCLAS VIENNA 001416 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/ACE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN KCRS KMCA EUMEM PREL GG RS AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN ASSISTANCE TO GEORGIA REF: STATE 100093 ¶1. (U) Polchief discussed reftel points September 25 with Stefan Weidinger, MFA unit chief for Development Cooperation in Southeastern and Eastern Europe. Weidinger noted that the Southern Caucasus, including Georgia, is one of the MFA's seven priority regions for assistance worldwide. He said that at the October donor conference Austria will report that it plans to spend between a minimum of 550,000 euros and a maximum of 1.5 million euros in bilateral technical assistance for the Southern Caucasus for 2009. About 40 percent of this amount would be for Georgia. Austria provided Georgia with 1.3 million euros in bilateral technical assistance in 2008. Following the conflict with Russia, the GOA provided Georgia with 350,000 euros in emergency assistance, primarily for UNICEF projects to protect civilians against mines, he said. ¶2. (U) In addition to the bilateral technical assistance, the GOA is considering funding small humanitarian projects in Georgia focused on the civil service, rule of law, and youth, Weidinger said. The GOA will contribute 2.6 percent of any EU or European Commission assistance provided to Georgia, he said. GIRARD-DICARLO