STRENGTHENING THE IAEA AND THE NPT REGIME --

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001037 SIPDIS UNVIE FOR IAEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2014 TAGS: KNNP TRGY MNUC NI IAEA SUBJECT: STRENGTHENING THE IAEA AND THE NPT REGIME -- NIGERIA REF: STATE 125606 Classified By: COUNSELOR JAMES MAXSTADT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche and non-paper to Ministry of Foreign Affairs First United Nations Division Director Ambassador Abdul Bin Rimdap on June 9. Noting the importance of safeguards and that the IAEA already makes use of standing committees, Rimdap said he believed the GON would support the creation of a new standing committee on safeguards. ¶2. (C) Unfortunately, and as expected, Rimdap was less sanguine about the proposal to restrict states under investigation for proliferation violations from serving on the Board of Governors or the new standing committee. Rimdap said the proposal would likely face opposition from developing countries and would be seen as a "further politicization" of the IAEA's investigative process. Nevertheless, Rimdap said he would discuss the issue with other GON officials and that the GON's delegation would be open to discussing the matter during the upcoming BOG meeting. CAMPBELL