Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09VIENNA359
2009-03-27 06:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

AUSTRIAN MFA ON AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

Tags:  PREL NATO AFDB AU 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVI #0359 0860611
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 270611Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2201
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0457
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0121
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0285
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000359 

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR SCA/A REOTT; EUR.RPM COPE; EUR/ERA WEISFIELD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2024
TAGS: PREL NATO AFDB AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MFA ON AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

REF: (A) STATE 28929 (B) VIENNA 306

Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires Scott Kilner. Reason: 1.4(b) and (d)
.

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000359

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR SCA/A REOTT; EUR.RPM COPE; EUR/ERA WEISFIELD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2024
TAGS: PREL NATO AFDB AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN MFA ON AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

REF: (A) STATE 28929 (B) VIENNA 306

Classified By: Charge' d'Affaires Scott Kilner. Reason: 1.4(b) and (d)
.


1. (C) Charge' called on Austrian MFA Political Director
Stefan Lehne March 26 to review reftel points, stressing that
given its role in the Security Council, Austrian action would
draw particular attention.


2. (C) On Afghanistan, Lehne reported that internal GoA
discussions were moving ahead with respect to support for
police training. He noted that at a March 24 meting, FonMin
Spindelegger, whom he described as quite engaged on the
issue, and Interior Minister Fekter had reached (unspecified)
agreement, but that talks continue with the Ministry of
Justice. Such training would have to take place outside
Afghanistan, Lehne acknowledged, and would be linked to
efforts by other EU states.


3. (C) Lehne also noted that the Foreign Ministry had turned
around an initially negative GoA response to UNSYG Ban Ki
Moon's appeal for demining support. In addition, he said
that talks were continuing on hosting a conference on "state
building" in Afghanistan (Ref B, para 5),although he gave
the impression that little progress was being made; the event
might happen in late spring, but only if "a credible partner"
could be found.


4. (C) On Pakistan, Lehne had little to offer. He said that
the EU had just begun to focus on Pakistan and had a less
developed understanding of priorities than was the case with
Afghanistan. Thus, there would be little concrete Austria
could do. The GoA did support the idea of an EU-Pakistan
Summit and was generally open-minded. Within the EU, he
added, there were differences of opinion on whether a Free
Trade Agreement was desirable, and a general sense that
Pakistan would be a very big challenge given the EU's limited
resources.
KILNER