IAEA/IRAN: CANADIAN VIEWS ON NEXT STEPS

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 001875 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013 TAGS: KNNP PARM MNUC PREL IR CA IAEA SUBJECT: IAEA/IRAN: CANADIAN VIEWS ON NEXT STEPS REF: STATE 186962 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Brian Flora, Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Canada would support a summer IAEA Board meeting (reftel) so long as there is consensus for a resolution or other strong statement at that meeting on the Iranian nuclear program. Ron Stansfield, Foreign Affairs' Acting Director for Nuclear and Chemical Disarmament, told us on July 2 that Canada wants to see what comes out of ElBaradei's July 9 visit to Tehran, and that the IAEA technical secretariat is coming up with some interesting findings. If we could deal Iran a "crushing blow" at an early meeting, then Canada would support going forward. Otherwise, Canada believes we should wait for the regular BOG meeting on September 8-12, as there is still far to go in getting other Board members to agree to a resolution. Stansfield assured us that Canada would continue to push for Iranian compliance with the IAEA, both publicly and privately. ¶2. (SBU) We thanked Stansfield for Foreign Minister Graham's public statement on Iran following the most recent BOG meeting. Graham's statement, issued on June 20, reads as follows: "Canada fully supports the outcome of this week's discussion of Iran's nuclear program and applauds the IAEA for its excellent work on this issue. We expect this work will continue with the same rigour. Canada is extremely concerned about the IAEA's findings that Iran has failed to report nuclear material, facilities and activities, as required uncer its Safeguards Agreement with the Agency and consistent with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This is a serious pattern of failure that calls into question Iran's assurances of full transparency and cooperation, and even more so, its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation. Canada joins the Board of Governors in urging Iran to demonstrate its full compliance by promptly rectifying all problems identified by the IAEA, resolving all questions about its nuclear program that remain open, and agreeing to other measures sought by the IAEA. We note the assurances that Iran has provided about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. The clearest possible demonstration of this would be Iran's early and unconditional acceptance of an Additional Protocol to its Safeguards Agreement." CELLUCCI