US embassy cable - 05VIENNA2662

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ENGAGING AUSTRIA ON GUANTANAMO DETAINEES

Identifier: 05VIENNA2662
Wikileaks: View 05VIENNA2662 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Vienna
Created: 2005-08-08 14:58:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: KISL KPAO PGOV PREL AU
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS VIENNA 002662 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR S/WCI AMB PROSPER, EUR, EUR/PGI, AND EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KISL, KPAO, PGOV, PREL, AU 
SUBJECT: ENGAGING AUSTRIA ON GUANTANAMO DETAINEES 
 
REF: STATE 142348 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified. 
 
1.  (SBU) Embassy Vienna has provided a non-paper based on 
reftel points to Austrian MFA State Secretary (Deputy Foreign 
Minister-equivalent) Hans Winkler.  The Public Affairs 
Section will post this information to Embassy's public 
website.  Charge will also present the material to Chancellor 
Schuessel's Chief of Staff, Martin Falb.  Acting Econ/Pol 
Counselor will solicit reactions on August 10 from MFA Acting 
A/S-equivalent for the Americas.  Embassy would welcome 
continuing updates on evolving U.S. detention policies, for 
example, on plans to repatriate more detainees to their 
countries of origin. 
 
3.  (SBU) While the issue of Guantanamo has faded from the 
headlines in Austria in recent months, there have been more 
recent press stories about renditions.  One influential daily 
ran an article on August 5 on "ghost detainees."  The larger 
Austrian public is presently inclined to accept such reports 
uncritically, viewing them as part of a larger pattern of 
alleged U.S. abuse of prisoners.  We would therefore welcome 
any specific evidence we can cite, on an as-needed basis, to 
rebut future allegations of systematic abuse. 
van Voorst 

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