US embassy cable - 05VIENNA2252

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 002252 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KUNR, AORC, AU, UNSC 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH AUSTRIAN FOREIGN 
MINISTER URSULA PLASSNIK, JULY 1, 2005 
 
REF: A. (A) STATE 111657 
 
     B. (B) STATE 118559 
 
Classified By: Ambassador W.L. Lyons Brown.  Reason:  1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Foreign Minister Plassnik told Ambassador 
Brown that Austria strongly agreed with the U.S. on the need 
to reform and strengthen the UN.  In particular, Austria 
supports increased emphasis on rule of law issues as the key 
to ensuring stability in developing countries, sees a need to 
establish a mechanism to fill in post-conflict gaps, and 
agrees that the Commission on Human Rights must be remodeled 
and redesigned.  On other issues, Plassnik said that her 
goals for the EU presidency focused on pressing for positive 
developments in the Balkans and the Middle East.   The 
Foreign Minister said that she would coordinate with 
colleagues in other ministries to find additional 
contributions for the Polio Eradication Initiative (ref b). 
End Summary. 
 
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UN Reform 
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2.  (C) Noting that the Secretary considered the issue of 
front-rank importance, the Ambassador outlined the seven U.S. 
priorities for the reform process (development; reform of the 
Commission on Human Rights; democracy initiatives and the 
Democracy Fund; Budget, Management and Administrative Reform; 
the Peacebuilding commission; adoption of the Comprehensive 
Convention on International Terrorism; and Security Council 
Reform (ref a).  (Note:  Septel reports a detailed discussion 
of these themes with Austria's UN expert, Walter Lichem.  End 
Note.)  On development, Plassnik said that Austria recognized 
that Official Development Assistance (ODA) was only one of 
various kinds of development assistance, and understood and 
appreciated the U.S. role in channeling financial flows to 
needy countries.   However, her government strongly supported 
the concept of jointly-agreed national official assistance 
targets.  Austria had worked very hard within EU experts, 
and ministers, meetings to develop a common position on 
sensible targets for official aid.  She was pleased that 
Austria,s national commitment of 0.51 percent of GDP by 2009 
exceeded the current EU goal for the wealthier EU states. 
She expected this figure to increase.  On democracy 
initiatives, Plassnik said that recent discussions she had 
had with counterparts from developing nations had strongly 
impressed on her the need to push human rights and good 
governance concerns as a fundamental part of international 
development efforts.  As example after example demonstrated, 
rule of law was the basis for foreign investment and economic 
development. 
 
3.  (C) Without going into details of what Austria was 
looking for, Plassnik said that Austria agreed that the Human 
Rights Commission was in dire need of remodeling and a new 
design.  UNGA President Ping had told her during a June 8 
visit to Austria that he was quite optimistic about the 
prospects for positive institutional change.  On the 
Peacebuilding Commission, Plassnik was enthusiastic, noting 
the organizational gap in management of post-conflict 
regions.  Austria, heavily involved in the Balkans, was 
especially sensitive to the need to improve international 
management capabilities for the period following the 
withdrawal of peacekeeping troops.  Plassnik noted that the 
EU had discussed the issue at the expert level. 
 
4.  (C) On Security Council reform, the Foreign Minister 
observed wryly that Austria found itself next to a neighbor 
with a firm idea on what it wanted.  She said Austria,s 
position was to be coherent with the long term outcome ) 
i.e., it was clear that the EU would eventually speak with 
one voice from a Security Council seat.  Germany shared the 
long-term goal but wished for a short-term fix as well. 
Plassnik said she hoped this issue would not bog down in the 
Council and that she was trying to focus public attention on 
other areas of necessary UN reform. 
 
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EU Presidency Themes 
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5.  (C) EU Presidency Themes:  The ForMin said that two 
subjects, the Balkans and the Middle East, had preoccupied 
her during the first six months of her tenure, and she saw 
both of these as centerpieces of the Austrian EU presidency 
in 2006.  She had gone to the Balkans repeatedly, most 
recently twice in April, and had just returned from a tour of 
the Middle East, which included discussions with Palestinian 
President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Israeli 
President Moshe Katsev, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 
and Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.  Austria saw the 
Balkans as key to its own security and the region was thus 
&of utmost concern8 for Vienna.  Austria was involved 
politically, economically, and militarily in the Balkans, and 
believed that this region was where Austria could set a 
positive example of practical international cooperation. 
Austria was very aware that the Kosovo question would have to 
be resolved in the not-too-distant future; the Europeans were 
working on it but it would come up to the UN level before 
long.  She noted that if EU enlargement ran into trouble 
because of the recent referenda, the Balkan candidates would 
be the first to be affected.  Austria would work with 
regional groupings to keep the Balkans on the European agenda 
and to keep the Europeans engaged.  For this, they would 
appreciate U.S. input and support. 
 
6.  (C) Musing on her June 25-27 visit to the middle East, 
Plassnik said that the Palestinian elections in January 2006 
would present Austria with the first &delicate situation8 
of its presidency.  The Gaza withdrawal may be a turning 
point in the region but the impact was not yet clear.  The 
Middle East was an issue not well understood by the European 
publics and Austria would attempt to focus more on this 
issue.  Plassnik said that in her recent swing through the 
region she had been impressed by what she had been told by 
both parties about the U.S. commitment and particularly about 
the interest, involvement, and commitment of the Secretary. 
Plassnik had been told by Palestinian leaders such as 
President Abbas that they welcome increased U.S. attention to 
their issues and support for their concerns.  Plassnik said 
her meetings with Senior U.S. Security Coordinator Lieutenant 
General Kip Ward and with Jim Wolfensohn, the Middle East 
Quartet's special envoy to oversee Israel's withdrawal from 
Gaza, convinced her that both were doing excellent work. 
They were experienced and knew what they wanted to get.  In 
Palestine, she thought that rule of law projects were 
extremely important so that Prime Minister Qurei fulfilled 
his reconstruction promises to the people.  Austria wanted to 
help in this area. 
 
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Visit to U.S. 
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7.  (C) The Ambassador asked Plassnik to be patient and 
flexible regarding the timing and venue of her requested 
early September visit to the U.S. to meet with the Secretary. 
 The weeks around the UNGA meeting are always hectic and very 
full for the Secretary.  Plassnik said she understood the 
Secretary,s scheduling imperatives and time limitations but 
 
SIPDIS 
hoped she and the Secretary should meet for a serious 
discussion well in advance of Austria,s takeover of the EU 
presidency.  The Ambassador noted a busy schedule of Austrian 
visitors to the U.S. this fall ) the President, Chancellor, 
and MFA, Interior, and Defense ministers all are interested 
in visiting before Christmas.  (Note:  we now understand that 
Economics Minister Bartenstein also hopes to visit this fall. 
 End note.) 
 
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D/CIA Visit 
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8.  (C) The Ambassador briefed Plassnik on D/CIA Goss, June 
22 visit to Vienna and the Director's discussions with 
Interior Minister Prokop and Defense Minister Platter. 
 
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Austrian Military Contributions to Afghanistan 
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9.  (C) The Ambassador thanked Plassnik for Austria,s 
contribution of up to a hundred troops for Afghanistan 
elections this fall, which will be one of the larger national 
contingents on the ground.  Plassnik remarked that she had 
been greatly involved in pressing the issue in Parliament. 
 
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Polio 
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10.  The Ambassador thanked Plassnik for Austria,s 
contribution of $100,000 in January to the Polio Eradication 
Initiative (ref b).  He described the continuing need and 
asked Plassnik for all possible generosity.  The minister 
said she understood the urgency and would discuss the issue 
with her Minister colleagues. 
Brown