IRAN/IAEA: SRI LANKA ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH TEHRAN

S E C R E T COLOMBO 001408

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2015
TAGS: PARM PREL IR EU CE
SUBJECT: IRAN/IAEA: SRI LANKA ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH TEHRAN

REF: A. STATE 148169

B. COLOMBO 1159

C. COLOMBO 0411

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JAMES F. ENTWISTLE. REASONS 1.4 (D, H
).


1. (S) Charge' called on Sri Lankan Foreign Minister
Lakshman Kadirgamar August 11 and reviewed with him Ref A
talking points calling for firm IAEA action against Iran.
Kadirgamar said he shared the U.S. and EU sense of urgency
and said the Foreign Ministry would review the U.S. points
closely with a view towards cooperating with the U.S. and EU3
on the IAEA Board.


2. (S) Kadirgamar told the Charge' that the Colombo EU3
heads of mission had come to see him late last week on the
same subject. At their behest, Kadirgamar said he had
tracked down the Iranian Foreign Minister on the telephone
over the weekend in order to try to ascertain Iranian
intentions. He said they "spoke at length." According to
Kadirgamar, the Iranian had initially given the "classic
Iranian reply" about Iran's right to develop as it saw fit,
etc. When Kadirgamar pressed him about Iranian intentions,
however, the Iranian admitted that recent Iranian
provocations were a negotiating ploy designed to create the
impression of Iranian hawkishness but that Iran remained
"fully prepared to talk" with the EU3 and with IAEA Board
members. Kadirgamar said he had briefed the local British
High Commissioner on his call to Tehran along with his
assessment that the Iranians were "jockeying for position"
and that "all was not lost."


3. (S) Comment: As we noted in Ref C, Sri Lanka relies on
Iranian concessional treatment on petroleum exports, which
has limited Sri Lankan willingness to weigh in with Tehran on
tough issues. That said, FM Kadirgamar is clearly engaged
and willing to help resolve the current impasse. We will
compare notes with our Colombo EU3 colleagues as well. End
comment.
ENTWISTLE