DEMARCHE -IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S INCREASING EXTREMISM

UNCLAS LIMA 004692 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PE IR SUBJECT: DEMARCHE -IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S INCREASING EXTREMISM (PERU) REF: A. SECSTATE 199225 ¶B. LIMA 4644 ¶1. Iranian President Ahmadi-Nejad's public call for Israel to be "wiped off the map" (Ref A) was discussed at a 10/28 breakfast hosted by the Ambassador for Foreign Minister Oscar Maurtua and leading Foreign Ministry officials (Ref B). Maurtua expressed disapproval of the Iranian leader's statement, and stated that Peru looked forward to working with the U.S. on international security issues during its upcoming stint on the Security Council in 2006-2007. ¶2. On 10/29, the Foreign Ministry issued a press statement advising that Foreign Minister Maurtua met that day with Israeli Ambassador Walid Mansour to inform him that the Peruvian Government "profoundly deplored" Ahmadi-Nejad's declarations regarding Israel. According to the Ministry, Maurtua characterized Ahmadi-Nejad's statements as being, "contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter, unacceptable to the international community and do not contribute to create a climate of detente necessary for the installation of peace and security in the Middle East." The Foreign Minister further stated that, "Inadequate threats such as that announced by the Iranian Government, are not conducive to respect for the norms of peaceful co-existence that should prevail between States, the more so when both countries are members of the United Nations." STRUBLE