IAEA/IRAN: FOLLOW-UP DEMARCHE WITH DUTCH ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001506 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2013 TAGS: KNNP PARM MNUC IR NL IAEA SUBJECT: IAEA/IRAN: FOLLOW-UP DEMARCHE WITH DUTCH ON IRAN AT IAEA BOARD MEETING REF: A. STATE 158048 ¶B. DEAN-KESSLER STUIII FAX ¶C. THE HAGUE 1434 Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE DANIEL RUSSEL FOR REASONS 1.5 (B AN D D). ¶1. (C) AMBASSADOR MADE REF A DEMARCHE TO DUTCH MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR HUGO SIBLESZ ON JUNE 12. SIBLESZ SAID HE SAW NO GAP BETWEEN U.S. AND DUTCH VIEWS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, ONLY A DIFFERENCE OVER TACTICS. THE DUTCH PREFERENCE FOR THE JUNE 16 IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS' MEETING IS FOR SOME FORM OF CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUSIONS AS OPPOSED TO A RESOLUTION, WHICH "LEAVES NO OTHER EXIT THAN REFERENCE TO THE UNSC." THE ELEMENTS OF THOSE CONCLUSIONS ARE LARGELY THE SAME (THAT IRAN HAS A NUMBER OF NONCOMPLIANCE PROBLEMS, THAT THERE ARE A RANGE OF QUESTIONS IRAN MUST ANSWER, THAT IRAN SHOULD SIGN UP TO AN ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL). SIBLESZ NOTED THAT IRAN WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE JUNE 16 EU FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING AND THAT THE NETHERLANDS SEEKS A STRONG MESSAGE OUT OF THAT EVENT. GIVEN THE CONCERNS ABOUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, THE NETHERLANDS BELIEVES THAT THE EU SHOULD DELAY ITS CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS ON A TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT (TCA) WITH IRAN. ¶2. (C) ACTING POLCOUNS ALSO REVIEWED REF A WITH MFA ACTING NONPROLIFERATION DIRECTOR PETER POTMAN (PROTECT). POTMAN SHARED A COPY OF A NONPAPER THAT THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE NETHERLANDS HAD RECENTLY PRESENTED TO THE DUTCH MFA (CONVEYED TO NP/RA PER REF B) JUSTIFYING THE IRANIAN PROGRAM, AND STATING IRAN WOULD ACCEPT ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL IN EXCHANGE FOR GUARANTEES OF AN END TO "ALL PROPAGANDA ABOUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND RESTRICTIONS AGAINST IRAN'S FULL ACCESS TO NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES." POTMAN SAID THE NETHERLANDS THOUGHT THE BOARD SHOULD UNITE BEHIND CHAIRMAN ELBARADEI'S REPORT, EXPRESS ITS CONCERN, CALL ON IRAN TO COOPERATE FULLY, AND FOR THE IAEA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. SOBEL