IRAN RELATED BRIEFING

S E C R E T ALGIERS 002247

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2010
TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL AORC IR EU AG
SUBJECT: IRAN RELATED BRIEFING

REF: SECSTATE 202164

Classified By: Ambassador Richard W. Erdman: Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d)

SUBJECT: IRAN RELATED BRIEFING


1. (S) Ambassador called on Energy Minister Chakib Khelil
November 7 to deliver reftel talking points and introduce
SIMO, who presented a sensitive briefing on Iranian nuclear
weaponization efforts. (Reaction to the SIMO brief will be
reported in separate channels.) Khelil heads Algeria's
interministerial committee that has responsibility for both
domestic and international nuclear issues and represents
Algeria at IAEA board meetings in Vienna. Accompanying
Khelil were the Energy Ministry's Director of External
Relations, Mohamed Bouamama, a member of FM Bedjaoui's
cabinet, Ali Redjel, and an unidentified note-taker.
Ambassador has requested a meeting early next week with MFA
Secretary General Lamamra to provide a similar briefing,

SIPDIS
following the latter's return to the country.


2. (S) Ambassador prefaced the briefing by noting that we
would be offering a similar briefing to SYG Lamamra early
next week following his return from abroad. However, in view
of the seriousness of the issue, the Minister's IAEA
responsibilities, and the IAEA board meeting later this
month, we wanted to share thoughts and information on Iran's
nuclear weapons directly and without delay. Ambassador
reviewed reftel points in some detail, stressing that Iran's
pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability under the guise of a
civilian nuclear energy program posed a growing threat to
international peace and stability. Achieving a diplomatic
solution and securing full Iranian cooperation in ending all
elements of its nuclear weapons program required the
international community to stand together in pressing Iran to
do the right thing. The Iranian President's recent comments
calling for the destruction of the state of Israel
underscored why the international community could not accept
a nuclear weapons-capable Iran.


3. (S) Khelil expressed appreciation for the briefing, said
he would brief the senior leadership, and assured that
Algeria took this issue seriously. Recalling faulty
intelligence concerning Iraq, Khelil said it would be
important to be certain of the credibility and authenticity
of the information on which the briefing was based. Khelil
also noted that Iran recently had invited IAEA inspectors to
visit military sites. Ambassador noted the pattern of
deceptive Iranian behavior over the past two decades
concerning its nuclear program, the IAEA's conclusions that
Iran had not cooperated fully, and the fact that Iran's
pursuit of full fuel cycle capability made no sense except in
the context of a nuclear weapons program. As for Iran's
reported offer of cooperation, Ambassador said he was not
briefed on the latest state of play but that, if true, it
underscored the need to keep the pressure on Iran to
cooperate by maintaining a strong international consensus.
At the end of the discussion, Ambassador left a non-paper
with reftel talking points, along with an informal Embassy
French translation, and noted we were sharing this sensitive
briefing with only a small group of friends, the EU-3 and el
Baradei.

ERDMAN