ALGERIAN FM'S READOUT ON IRANIAN ENVOY'S VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001920 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2015 TAGS: PREL PARM PTER IR AG SUBJECT: ALGERIAN FM'S READOUT ON IRANIAN ENVOY'S VISIT TO ALGIERS Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) In an August 31 meeting devoted to a number of issues, FM Bedjaoui gave Ambassador a readout of Iranian envoy Alaadine Broujardi's August 29 meeting with President Bouteflika in Algiers. Bedjaoui, who attended the meeting, said Broujardi had given many facts and arguments to bolster Iran's case that it was not in violation of the IAEA rules. Bouteflika, according to Bedjaoui, told the envoy Iran had refused a good-faith deal offered by Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Citing the example of South Africa, which voluntarily gave up its nuclear program with no tangible results, Bouteflika thought the Iranians should consider themselves fortunate. The President, however, said Algeria needed to consult other countries since the Iranian envoy emphasized Iran was not acting contrary to IAEA rules. Bouteflika appealed for a return to dialogue in order to resolve the dispute and told Broujardi Iran could, in Algeria's view, develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. ¶2. (C) Ambassador responded to Bedjaoui by stressing that Iran was seeking mastery of the full nuclear fuel cycle. Historically, other countries, such as Pakistan and North Korea, that sought to master the nuclear fuel cycle had gone on to produce nuclear weapons. For this reason, we were deeply concerned about the prospect that Iran was preparing for a nuclear weapons capability under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. The IAEA, continued Ambassador, found that Iran had cheated and lied about its secret programs for more than 20 years. Iran could not now expect the rest of the world to take Iran at its word. The burden of proof was on Iran. ¶3. (C) At least the envoy himself gave a good impression and came across quite convincingly, interjected Bedjaoui with humor. Ambassador concluded that countries belonging to the NPT have the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes on the condition that they accept full inspections and transparency but none of us could afford to be naive when it came to Iran's record and intentions. ERDMAN