CANADA ON IAEA DG EL BARADEI'S VISIT TO IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000533

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2013
TAGS: KNNP PREL PARM IR CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON IAEA DG EL BARADEI'S VISIT TO IRAN

REF: STATE 46864

Classified By: Political Counselor Mary Witt,
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Canada shares our strong concerns over Iran's nuclear
program (reftel),and will continue pushing for a tough
approach to Tehran by the IAEA. Terry Wood, Foreign Affairs
Deputy Director for Non-Proliferation, told us on February 21
that Canada believes Iran is technically in breach of its
safeguards agreement. Wood agreed with virtually all of the
arguments laid out in reftel, and said that the point about
Iran being the only affected country failing to declare new
facilities was particularly useful. Canadian officials in
Tehran and in Vienna are closely following El Baradei's visit
to Iran.


2. (C) Wood said that if Iran were to now declare all of its
facilities, including pilot enrichment experiments, then that
would be a significant step forward. But if Iran was serious
about being taken at its word, he continued, it would have
come forward long ago to address international concerns.
Wood said that the IAEA safeguards operation division that
covers Iran is also responsible for Canada, and that this
division is well informed on what Iran is doing. He observed
that El Baradei was trying to do whatever he could to get
Iran to come clean, even suggesting that Iran report
undeclared material to the IAEA Board as a minor
irregularity.


3. (C) Wood assured us that Canada will take every
opportunity to press Iran on this issue, both bilaterally and
multilaterally. He noted that Iran is closely following the
IAEA's approach to North Korea, and that Canada had Iran in
mind, too, as it pushed for IAEA action on the DPRK.
CELLUCCI