US embassy cable - 05VIENNA3786

UNCLAS VIENNA 003786 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, EAIR, KPAO, AU, EUN 
SUBJECT:  DEFENSE MINISTER REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF CIA 
OVERFLIGHTS 
 
 
1.  At the request of the opposition Social Democrats (SPO) 
and Greens, the Austrian National Security Council met 
November 30 regarding allegations that a U.S. overflight of 
Austria on January 21, 2003 may have been a CIA flight to 
transport prisoners.  Afterwards, Austrian Defense Minister 
Platter told journalists that "there was no evidence that 
the disputed January 2003 overflight had been carried out by 
the CIA," nor "that the U.S. agency had transported 
prisoners in that plane."  Similarly, there was "no 
indication that Austrian airspace had been 
violated," Platter said.  Participants in the meeting did 
not provide further information, since the government 
representatives had voted to maintain the confidentiality of 
the hearings. 
 
2.  SPO and Greens reportedly requested information from 
Transportation Minister/Vice Chancellor Gorbach as well as 
from Defense Minister Platter on whether the Austrian 
government "had been aware of overflights by the U.S. 
intelligence agency."  According to Austrian media, 
representatives of the government in turn asked the 
opposition what evidence it had for such allegations. 
3.  The SPO and Greens have called on Chancellor Schuessel, 
in his capacity as future chair of the EU presidency, to 
make use of his December 8 meeting with President Bush in 
Washington to lodge a protest. 
4.  During a joint press conference in Vienna with visiting 
Danish FM Moellmann November 30, Austrian FM Plassnik, in 
response to a question as to whether Austria would raise the 
issue bilaterally with the U.S., replied that British FM 
Jack Straw had "contacted the U.S. on behalf of the EU" and 
"we are waiting for a response." 
5.  The Greens' security spokesman, Peter Pilz, announced on 
November 29 that he would visit the NGO Human Rights Watch 
in Washington and hold a press conference there on December 
7 on the alleged CIA overflights.  Pilz said that he would 
demand that Bush apologize to Schuessel for the overflights. 
6.  On November 30, prior to Platter's statement, Social 
Democratic floor leader Josef Cap deplored the GoA's failure 
to comment publicly about the overflights.  Cap called on 
the government to provide information on all overflights of 
Austria in recent years and the defense ministry's response. 
van Voorst