AUSTRIA TO STAY THE COURSE ON EUFOR, OHR

UNCLAS VIENNA 001492

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EU BK AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA TO STAY THE COURSE ON EUFOR, OHR

REF: STATE 118244


1. (U) Polchief met November 20 with Thomas Schnoell, MFA
Unit Chief for Southeast Europe, and Karl Prummer, MFA Unit
Chief for European Security Policy, to discuss reftel points
on EUFOR and seek GOA views on the transition from the Office
of the High Representative (OHR) to the EU Special
Representative (EUSR) in Bosnia. Schnoell and Prummer said
Austria will maintain its troop presence in Bosnia at current
levels at least until the October 2010 elections are
completed and the OHR is closed. The GOA is concerned,
however, that other contributing states, particularly Spain,
might unilaterally withdraw troops from EUFOR sooner.
Prummer said EU Foreign Ministers would discuss EUFOR in a
December meeting, at which they are expected to agree on a
plan to begin drawing down forces by the end of 2010. By
setting a date to begin a drawdown, EU members hope to
persuade Spain to retain its significant troop presence until
the end, rather than pulling out in June 2010 as the Spanish
Government has advocated.


2. (U) On the political side of the equation, the GOA also
believes that the OHR should be maintained until the October
2010 elections, except in the unlikely event that Bosnia
takes major steps before then toward meeting the "5 plus 2"
criteria, Schnoell said. While some EU members, such as
France and Italy, believe the OHR should be closed as soon as
possible, there appears to be a majority in favor of
maintaining the status quo until the elections, he said.
Schnoell said the GOA believes Bosnia needs to demonstrate
"significant progress" in fulfilling "5 plus 2" before the
OHR is closed. He emphasized that constitutional reform,
while critical for Bosnia's European integration, is not a
criterion for transitioning from the OHR to the EUSR.
EACHO