Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09VIENNA807
2009-07-02 07:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

Austria Supportive on DPRK/1874 Implementation

Tags:  PARM ECON EFIN PREL KNNP MNUC MTCR KN AU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4635
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHVI #0807 1830740
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 020740Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2891
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0459
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0309
UNCLAS VIENNA 000807 

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM ECON EFIN PREL KNNP MNUC MTCR KN AU
SUBJECT: Austria Supportive on DPRK/1874 Implementation

REF: A) STATE 65483, B) STATE 66250

UNCLAS VIENNA 000807

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM ECON EFIN PREL KNNP MNUC MTCR KN AU
SUBJECT: Austria Supportive on DPRK/1874 Implementation

REF: A) STATE 65483, B) STATE 66250


1. (SBU) Post delivered ref A demarche (on implementing DPRK
sanctions contained in UNSCR 1874) to Sabine Staffelmayr,
coordinator for North Korea policy at the Austrian MFA (Ministry for
European and International Affairs). We delivered ref B demarche
(on financial safeguards / sanctions) to Elisabeth Ottawa and Alfred
Lejsek of the Austrian MinFin's international division, and had a
follow-up conversation with MinEcon's head of export control.


2. (SBU) MFA rep responded that Austria (which holds a non-permanent
seat on the UN Security Council) supported UNSCR 1874 "from the
beginning" and "fully supported" the European Council Presidency
Conclusions June 18/19 condemning DPRK nuclear tests and supporting
"swift and efficient implementation" of resolution 1874. Staffelmayr
also assured us that Austrian authorities will provide "full
cooperation" in the country's (limited) economic, trade and
financial relations with DPRK entities.


3. (SBU) MinFin representatives were similarly supportive on Ref B
issues. The GoA distributed Ref B's FinCen advisory to Austrian
banks and has circulated our points internally. Lejsek surmised
that Austria has had minimal economic ties with North Korea since
the June 2004 closure of the "Golden Star" bank branch in Vienna
(NOTE: until then, it was the DPRK's only bank branch overseas - END
NOTE) and the 2006 closing of North Korean accounts at Bank Austria.
We pointed out that North Korea maintains an embassy in Vienna and
encouraged the GoA to continue vigilant oversight.


4. (SBU) Austrian MinEcon export control head Helmut Krehlik cited
an ongoing case involving an Austrian citizen (Mr "Schwarz") who
sought to export luxury yachts from Italy to North Korea, in
contravention of the EU's existing ban on luxury exports to the
DPRK. Krehlik pleaded for greater legal clarity at the UN and EU
levels: the EU's luxury ban is so vague that it may not stand in
Austrian criminal courts (which tend not to convict if the
contravened regulations are not specific).

HOH