VZCZCXRO6342
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVI #0044/01 0140848
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140848Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1851
INFO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 000044 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/FO FOR DAS BRYZA 
USDOC FOR TDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG PREL AU IR
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN FORMIN RULES OUT IRAN ENERGY CONTRACTS 
FOR THE MOMENT, REASSERTS SUPPORT FOR NABUCCO 
 
REF: 08 VIENNA 1844 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Austria's new foreign minister has made the 
clearest public statement yet of GOA opposition to energy 
contracts with Iran under the present diplomatic situation. 
He also reaffirmed GOA support for the Nabucco pipeline and 
expressed confidence the consortium will secure gas from 
the Caspian area.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. On January 11, new Austrian Minister of European and 
International Relations Michael Spindelegger (OVP- 
conservative) appeared on Austrian television's 
"Pressestunde" (equivalent to "Meet the Press") with ORF 
foreign affairs anchorman Andreas Pfeifer and Chief Editor 
Alexandra Foederl-Schmid from left-liberal daily Der 
Standard. 
 
¶3. Discussing the current gas crisis and the need to 
diversify Europe's energy supply, Spindelegger promised 
full support for the Nabucco pipeline and expressed 
confidence that the consortium would sign supply contracts 
with Azerbaijan or other producing countries ("We should 
make efforts to sign these contracts as quickly as possible 
... I am confident that this is possible.") 
 
¶4. The show's anchors pressed FM Spindelegger at length on 
Iranian gas and its diplomatic implications.  Spindelegger 
ruled out any "political support" for concluding energy 
contracts with Iran on this issue, at least until 
"relations between the international community and Iran 
have normalized."  Spindelegger also indicated that the GOA 
has instructed OMV (which is 31.5 percent state-owned) 
not/not to proceed at the moment on pending energy deals 
with Iran.  COMMENT:  Spindelegger is the first GoA 
official to speak out clearly against energy deals with 
Iran in the 18 months since OMV and the Iranian petroleum 
company NIOC signed a "letter of intent" on gas production. 
He did not, however, rule out further talks between OMV and 
the Iranian energy sector. END COMMENT. 
 
¶5. Below is a transcript of Spindelegger's remarks on Iran 
(translation by FBIS/OpenSource): 
 
Q: ... But the Nabucco project is somewhat risky 
politically: OMV points out that Iran has the second 
largest gas reserves of the world.  Iran could also be a 
potential gas supplier.  Of course, this meets with great 
skepticism in Israel, I assume, as well as in the United 
States.  Is that not a political barrier that is still too 
high to overcome? 
 
SPINDELEGGER: I think that it is only possible to overcome 
this political barrier once relations between the 
international community and Iran have normalized.  But I do 
not expect that to happen within the next few days or 
weeks.  Therefore, we should make efforts to explore other 
possible sources and to sign contracts, in particular, in 
Central Asia.  This will be the main issue that we have to 
consider now in Europe, but also in Austria. 
 
Q: Let me specifically ask you once again: do you support 
the OMV project in Iran? 
 
SPINDELEGGER: There have been very clear talks with OMV as 
far as the gas issue is concerned.  I do not think that it 
is the right situation at present to sign contracts there. 
After all, there is an international sanctions regime 
against Iran, which we as Austrians have fully observed so 
far.  There have not been any violations, nor has there 
been a contract.  OMV has so far only signed a Letter of 
Intent, and I think it would be better to wait and see how 
things develop before we take further steps. 
 
Q: But let me repeat: is there political support for it on 
your part, yes or no? 
 
SPINDELEGGER: There is no political support for the 
conclusion of a contract because we made it clear to OMV 
that the foreign policy situation... 
 
Q: We know that they have not yet progressed that far, but 
there are talks!  Do you support that? 
 
SPINDELEGGER: To be sure, there can be talks.  During my 
visit to Israel, I made that clear also to the foreign 
minister [Tzipi Livni].  The important thing is whether 
contracts are signed.  And that has not been done, nor will 
 
VIENNA 00000044  002 OF 002 
 
 
that be done in the next few days. 
END TRANSCRIPT. 
 
 
GIRARD-DICARLO