BRAZIL: IAEA/IRAN NOVEMBER 24 IAEA BOARD MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 003124

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2015
TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL AORC BR IR IAEA
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: IAEA/IRAN NOVEMBER 24 IAEA BOARD MEETING

REF: STATE 213341

Classified By: PolCouns Dennis Hearne, 1.4 (B) & (D)


1. (C) Embassy presented reftel demarche November 28 to
Santiago Mourao, director of the Foreign Ministry's
Disarmament and Sensitive Technologies Division. Mourao said
the GOB had maintained frequent contact with the EU3 on the
issue and had also had two recent discussions of the issue
with the Iranians.


2. (C) Mourao said that the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister,
who visited Brazil in October, had thanked the Brazilians for
their "support", referring to Brazil's abstention on the IAEA
resolution concerning the Iranian nuclear program. The
Brazilians told him that the GOB vote in the IAEA BOG should
not be interpreted as an endorsement of Iranian actions, but
rather as a judgment that referral to the UNSC is not the
most appropriate tactical course of action. The GOB stressed
that, while all countries have the right to develop nuclear
energy, that right is conditioned on full compliance with
international commitments such as the NPT and IAEA safeguards
agreements. In the case of Iran, Brazil sees a necessity to
make particular efforts to repair the lack of confidence on
the part of the international community regarding Iran's
program. The GOB told the Minister that it expects Iran to
make particular efforts to cooperate with the IAEA in a more
proactive and transparent manner.


3. (C) Mourao said he believes Iran is now being more
forthcoming, but the pending issues have yet to be resolved.
The GOB has told the GOI that it needs to suspend all
enrichment activities and abide by the commitments it made
concerning its program. Iran should restart negotiations
with the EU3. Mourao added that Brazil supported the Russian
initiative to transfer Iranian enrichment capabilities from
Iran to Russia. This could be a useful confidence-building
measure, even if it is not an ideal long-term solution.


4. (C) The second discussion with Iran came after the new
Iranian president made a speech in Tehran saying Iran was
being treated in a discriminatory fashion when compared to
the cases of South Korea and Brazil. The Foreign Ministry
called in the Iranian Ambassador and told him such comments
were not proper. The Iranian Ambassador blamed the problem
on a translation error.


5. (C) Mourao noted that the regular Undersecretary-level
talks that Brazil holds with Iran have been postponed for
"technical reasons." The real reason for the postponement is
Brazilian displeasure with the Iranian president's public
statements concerning Israel.

LINEHAN