VZCZCXRO6070
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBW RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVI #0602 1270839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060839Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0118
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS VIENNA 000602 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB/IFD/ODF 
PASS TREASURY FOR DO/IA/IDP 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV ECIN EFIN ETRD EUN AU
SUBJECT:  DEMARCHE REQUEST:  TURKEY CHANGE OF STATUS AT THE EBRD - 
AUSTRIA UNLIKELY TO SUPPORT U.S. POSITION 
 
REF:  STATE 41999 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  The Austrian Ministry of Finance (MoF) is unlikely 
to support the proposed U.S. approach linking Turkey's application 
for change membership status to a six-month strategic review of the 
EBRD's mandate.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) Post conveyed reftel demarche on May 5 to Leander Treppel, 
Manager of the External Economic Program Division of the MoF's 
Economic Policy and Financial Markets Directory.  According to 
Treppel, the MoF has not yet agreed on a formal position for the 
EBRD's Annual Meeting, but favors a strategic redirection of the 
EBRD towards Southeastern Europe, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, the 
Caucasus region and other Asian countries to use the EBRD's unique 
experience with transition economies.  However, the MoF is concerned 
that linking Turkey's request to a discussion about EBRD's strategic 
reorientation could unduly delay Turkey's request. 
 
¶3. (U) Treppel also indicated that the Minsitry was skeptical about 
a formal strategic review under the new EBRD administration, noting 
that the EBRD regularly reviewed its investment strategy and was 
evolving naturally toward the southeast.  He stated that the GoA 
disagrees with proposals heard previously from U.S. sources that the 
EBRD should gradually be wound down. 
 
¶4.  (U) Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Wilhelm Molterer and 
Leander Treppel will attend the EBRD's Annual Meeting, May 18-19. 
 
KILNER