VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHVI #1463 3221516
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181516Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3603
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0837
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHDC
UNCLAS VIENNA 001463
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/GS THOMAS A. JOHNSON
LONDON FOR EST J. WHITTLESEY
COGARD FOR CG-52 AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC IMO EWWT PHSA UK AU
SUBJECT: International Maritime Organization: Austria Likely To
Support U.S. Candidacy
REF: (A) State 117702; (B) State 98012
1. On September 30, Post conveyed ref B demarche to the Austrian
Ministry of Transportation, Innovation, and Technology (MTIT) --
which has the lead on this issue -- and to Austria's MFA.
2. On October 8, we followed up with the MFA department head of for
Environment and Transportation, who said the MFA "sees no problem"
with supporting the U.S. candidate, since Austria supported U.S.
candidacy two years ago and nothing has happened since then to
change the GoA opinion materially. The MFA rep indicated that
Austria's official position would be decided shortly before the IMO
meeting.
3. Post sought this week to reach the GoA delegate to IMO (Viktor
Siegl from MTIT), but Siegl is on a business trip from which he will
travel to London directly. The Ministry assured us that Siegl has
USG points and will consider them.
EACHO