OPPOSING A THIRD TERM FOR IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 003347 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2014 TAGS: AORC PARM CA IAEA SUBJECT: OPPOSING A THIRD TERM FOR IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL ELBARADEI REF: SECSTATE 264699 Classified By: POL M/C BRIAN FLORA. REASON 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) In response to ref demarche, Foreign Affairs Canada Deputy Director for nuclear non-proliferation Terry Wood re-affirmed to polmiloff that Canada shares USG's view on limiting the term of the IAEA Director General to two years. At the same time, Wood said, the next DG must be someone who enjoys the general support and full confidence of the membership; a "protracted and messy" process to bring in El Baradei's successor would not be good for the institution. Asked if Canada had a successor candidate in mind, Wood replied in the negative. ¶2. (C) Wood noted that in a one-on-one meeting with DG El Baradei on November 18th, FAC Global and Security Affairs Assistant Deputy Minister Jim Wright encouraged the DG to "do the right thing" and not/not stand for a third term. El Baradei reportedly told Wright that there were a lot of things he could do (for the institution). He said he had not sought out a third term; rather, other member states wanted him to do this. Moreover, the DG also said he had not seen an "unequivocal" response from the U.S. opposing his third term. The DG felt his support among members was strong enough that he would be able to defeat any other candidate. ¶3. (C) Wood said that Canada was mindful of the USG request for a response by December 15; the Canadian governmentnonetheless would continue discussing the issue over the next week. He noted that instructions were sent to the Canadian Embassy in Washington on Friday to engage Department contacts (NFI) on this topic. Ottawa was keen to hear USG's proposed strategy. Wood felt that Step One should be to open up the position but getting the requisite 12 votes to do so would not be easy, and at this particular time the odds did not favor "us." Once El Baradei was "eased out" of the way, he concluded, it would be much easier to locate a suitable successor candidate. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa CELLUCCI