VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVI #2349 2191545
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071545Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4517
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0142
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS VIENNA 002349 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO AND EUR/AGS (SAINT-ANDRE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS UN LE IS AU
SUBJECT: LEBANON SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION: AUSTRIAN 
RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 128442 
 
¶1. (U)  Charge d,Affaires and Acting EconPolCouns met with 
Foreign Ministry Secretary General Johannes Kyrle and 
Helfried Carl from the Foreign Ministry's Office of Middle 
East Affairs to discuss the reftel demarche and draft 
Security Council resolution on Lebanon.  Kyrle stated that 
Austria's current position was expressed in a statement 
yesterday by FM Ursula Plassnik, which called on Lebanon and 
the Arab states to seize this opportunity.  Lebanon, Plassnik 
said, should trust in the international community, which 
wants to achieve peace in the region and work toward 
restoring the complete sovereignty and territorial integrity 
of Lebanon.  Plassnik stressed that the draft Security 
Council resolution formed the basis for the cessation of 
hostilities, a lasting cease-fire, and a long-term political 
solution.  These elements further set the stage for the 
introduction of a UN-mandated stabilization force.  Kyrle 
also noted that foreign ministers from the Arab states are 
scheduled to meet today in Beirut to discuss the Lebanese 
crisis and proposed Security Council resolution. 
 
¶2. (U)  Kyrle said he had already spoken today with the 
French, who were advocating the idea that Israeli forces 
would leave within 72 hours after the establishment of the 
UNSC resolution.  He expressed his concerns about China and 
Russia, specifically statements by Russian FM Ivanov that 
Russia would not participate in a stabilization force as long 
as the Israelis remained in Lebanon.  Kyrle also questioned 
whether the interim force would go only as far as Sheeba 
Farms or beyond. 
 
¶3. (U)  Kyrle commented that Austria has evacuated between 
330 and 340 Austrian citizens from Lebanon since the outbreak 
of hostilities, and that approximately 120 to 130 Austrians 
remain.  The majority of these are dual nationals.  There 
were also "hundreds of Austrian citizens" in Syria. 
 
¶4. (U)  Kyrle noted that Austrian UNDOF forces operate very 
near to Sheeba Farms and took cover twice over the weekend, 
along with their Slovak UNDOF counterparts, to escape 
shooting that was coming from the Hezbollah side. 
 
¶5. (U)  Kyrle expressed appreciation for our presentation and 
asked Charge to pass along any updates on the draft 
resolution or on our official policy as they become available. 
Kilner