US embassy cable - 05VIENNA3564

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 003564 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/P, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, AU, UNGA 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA WILL NOT SUPPORT SWISS PROPOSAL ON UNSC 
WORKING METHODS 
 
REF: STATE 199305 
 
Classified By: Pol Unit Chief Michael DeTar, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d 
) 
 
1.  (SBU) Embassy Vienna conveyed reftel demarche to MFA 
A/S-equivalent for UN Affairs Helmut Boeck on November 2 and 
followed up with Boeck's deputy, Peter Huber, on November 4. 
Huber told us that Austria's priority was preserving the 
effectiveness of the Security Council.  Austria was 
unenthusiastic about the several proposals for UNSC reform 
and/or expansion (including the recent "G-4" initiative). 
 
2.  (C) Huber said Austrian reps in New York would quietly 
suggest to their Swiss colleagues that they drop the 
proposal.  In deference to its neighbor Switzerland (an ally 
of Austria's on many questions before the UN, including 
environmental and human rights issues), Austria would not 
step forward as a declared opponent of the Swiss idea, but 
there was "no question of Austria supporting it or voting for 
it." 
Phillips