US embassy cable - 05VIENNA2056

S E C R E T VIENNA 002056 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2015 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, SY, AU 
SUBJECT: DELIVERY TO AUSTRIA OF ORAL MESSAGE FROM THE 
SECRETARY ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REF: A. (A) STATE 114212 
     B. (B) VIENNA 2036 
     C. (C) VIENNA 2035 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Carol van Voorst.  Reason:  1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (SBU) DCM delivered ref (a) message on June 20 to 
Austrian Political Director Thomas Mayr-Harting. 
Mayr-Harting undertook to deliver the contents of the message 
to the Austrian delegation (Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik 
and Middle East director Ralph Scheide). 
 
2.  (S) Mayr-Harting said that Austria agrees with the 
Secretary's objectives for the conference and officials had 
 
SIPDIS 
planned to handle any contact with the Syrian delegation in 
Brussels very much as the Secretary urged. 
 
3.  (SBU) In line with the spirit of the Secretary's message, 
Mayr-Harting added that Austria was organizing a conference 
on "Islam in a Pluralistic Society," which it intended to 
host in Vienna November 14-16.  He said FM Plassnik and Amb. 
Scheide would look for opportunities to raise this with U.S. 
delegation members in Brussels.  Scheide told us separately 
that President Karzai of Afghanistan has confirmed his 
attendance, and the Austrians have formally invited President 
Talabani of Iraq to attend.  Talabani maintained firm ties to 
Austria, Scheide said, and the Austrians thought it likely 
that he would attend as well.  The Austrians see the 
conference as a further opportunity to demonstrate support 
for the Afghan and Iraqi governments, in the context of a 
discussion of overall relations with the Muslim world.  They 
believe a high level U.S. presence would be crucial to the 
success of the initiative. 
Brown