US embassy cable - 05VIENNA3614

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Identifier:	05VIENNA3614
Wikileaks:	View 05VIENNA3614 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Vienna
Created:	2005-11-10 15:53:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	ECON ETRD EFIN AU OECD
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 003614 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2015 
 
TAGS: ECON, ETRD, EFIN, AU, OECD 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA:  OECD SEC GEN SELECTION 
 
 
REF: STATE 204906 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gregory E. Phillips.  Reason>  1.4 (b) 
 
and (d). 
 
1.  (SBU) Charge presented reftel points on November 10 to 
 
Ulrike Magloth, the Director for International Economic 
 
Affairs in the Chancellery (Prime Minister's office). 
 
Magloth has responsibility for OECD affairs in the Austrian 
 
government. 
 
2.  (C) Magloth said Jose Angel Gurria had visited Vienna 
 
recently, and she and her colleagues had been quite impressed 
 
with him.  That said, Austria had a slight preference for 
 
"the European candidate," Marek Belka, as OECD Secretary 
 
General.  Magloth said Austria's views were not strong, and 
 
Austria would follow an EU trend in favor of Gurria, if the 
 
selection process took that course. 
 
3.  (C) We pointed out that the U.S. position was not a 
 
"regional" one.  We reviewed reftel points and said we 
 
considered Gurria to be the best candidate, especially in 
 
view of the challenges the OECD was now facing.  Magloth 
 
thanked us for our views, and undertook to stay in touch as 
 
the process took its course. 
 
Phillips