SOLICITING POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO KOSOVO DEBT RELIEF

UNCLAS VIENNA 001466 SIPDIS, SENSITIVE STATE FOR EUR/ACE NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN EINV PREL EU KV AU SUBJECT: SOLICITING POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO KOSOVO DEBT RELIEF TRUST FUND - AUSTRIA REF: STATE 101356 THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (SBU) Per reftel, post submitted information on USG request for financial assistance for the Kosovo Debt Relief Trust Fund to Johann Kinast, Head of the Export Guarantees and Debt Rescheduling Unit in the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Post also sent reftel information to Thomas Schnoell, MFA Unit Chief for Southeast Europe, and Klaus Steiner, MFA Deputy Director for Development Cooperation. ¶2. (SBU) In a September 30 follow-up, Kinast told us that Austria generally supports Kosovo as demonstrated at the July 2008 donors conference in Brussels. Regarding financial assistance for the Kosovo Debt Relief Trust Fund, the MoF has not yet formed a final position but seems open to the USG proposal. However, the MoF would prefer to first have an agreement on Kosovo debt rescheduling in the Paris Club, which Austria will support. Steiner told Polchief October 1 that MoF officials are waiting to be contacted by the World Bank for details about the Trust Fund. ¶3. (SBU) Steiner and Schnoell also told Polchief that the GOA generally supports IMF and World Bank membership for Kosovo. Steiner said GOA officials had heard rumors that Kosovo would be included in the World Bank constituency led by Austria and Belgium. He said the GOA would be interested in learning whether that information was accurate. GIRARD-DICARLO