IRAN DEMARCHE DELIVERED, EU-3 ALSO PUSHING

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 008891

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2015
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP AORC IN IR
SUBJECT: IRAN DEMARCHE DELIVERED, EU-3 ALSO PUSHING

REF: STATE 212969

Classified By: Charge Robert O. Blake for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) PolCouns delivered reftel demarche to Joint Secretary
(Disarmament and International Security) Hamid Ali Rao on
November 23, emphasizing the importance of India conveying
through a strong national statement that the international
community remains seriously concerned about Iran's nuclear
program. Rao accepted our approach but offered no preview of
GOI plans. Pressed by PolCouns on New Delhi's willingness to
deliver a strong statement, Rao commented "the Iranians know
the September 24 resolution is there," suggesting that the
GOI is reluctant to deploy any further public pressure at a
time when Indian domestic politics are seized with the IAEA
issue.

EU-3 Demarche to Foreign Secretary
--------------


2. (C) The EU-3 Ambassadors paralleled our approach to MEA's
DISA division in a November 23 call on Foreign Secretary
Shyam Saran. The UK High Commissioner, in particular, echoed
our call for the GOI to offer a robust statement at the BOG
meeting that does not appear to exculpate Tehran. Speaking
to PolCouns, the EU-3 heads of mission reported a general
sense of relief on the part of the Foreign Secretary that
India would not face the politically uncomfortable prospect
of another IAEA vote. The German Ambassador reported that
the Indians believed, based on their own engagement with
Iran, that Tehran was open to the idea of suspension, but
only on their own terms. It was important, the German said,
that Iran be allowed to chart its own course. The EU-3 also
reported that Saran was seized with the danger of appearing
to punish Iran for its acts of transparency. For instance,
since Iran has now acknowledged the AQ Khan network's
provision of design details for casting uranium hemispheres,
that should not now become part of the dossier used to assail
Iranian non-compliance with its NPT obligations.


3. (C) A UK High Commission contact gave D/PolCouns a
further readout of the EU-3 Ambassadors' meeting with FS
Saran, stating that the EU-3's demarche asked India to ensure
that Iran was not let off the hook during national statements
on November 24. Our contact reported that Saran agreed that
the September 24 resolution remained valid, but cautioned
that further pressure on Iran was not the right tactic now
given that the IAEA had said Iran had done some of the right
things; India felt excessive negative pressure now could be
counterproductive. Saran assured the EU-3 that New Delhi is
not backing away from its September 24 stance, however, and
intends to urge Iran to take more positive steps toward
cooperation with the IAEA. The Foreign Secretary also
inquired about EU-3 next steps, our UK contact told us, and
heard that the Europeans will continue to try to engage Iran
in "talks on talks" to restart the negotiations. Our UK
contact commented that the EU-3 are confident India would be
plenty tough in raising AQ Khan's role in Iran's nuclear
program, but that Indian pressure on Iran itself at this
stage might be modest.
BLAKE