IRAN/EU3: LETTER FROM U/S BURNS AND U/S JOSEPH TO

S E C R E T PARIS 005032

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015
TAGS: IR EU KNNP PREL PARM FR IAEA
SUBJECT: IRAN/EU3: LETTER FROM U/S BURNS AND U/S JOSEPH TO
EU3 POLDIRS

REF: SECSTATE 127657

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Josiah Rosenblatt for Rea
sons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) SUMMARY: Post delivered letter from U/S Burns and
U/S Joseph to MFA Director for Political and Security Affairs
Stanislas LeFebvre de Laboulaye on July 11. In a follow-up
conversation on July 19 with Nicolas Roche of the MFA
Directorate for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament,
Roche explained that the French were not informed prior to
the removal of the Esfahan seals; that Paris has sent
instructions to their mission in Vienna to meet with EU3
partners and later the U.S. to discuss the matter; and that
the GOF is working to ensure that such lapses do not occur
again. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) Roche explained that the French had received the
same information that was outlined in U/Ss Burns and Joseph's
letter after the seals at the Esfahan Uranium Conversion
Facility (UCF) had been removed. He said that the fact that
the EU3 were not informed concerned them and that Paris has
sent word to their mission in Vienna to interface with their
UK and German colleagues to assess their reaction. After EU3
consultations, he said, U.S. representatives in Vienna would
be contacted (this, he estimated, would take place in the
coming few days). He said that France learned of the
incident from the IAEA itself but had never been consulted
prior to the seals coming off. Evidently, he said, the
decision to allow the seals to be removed was the result of
some dealings that took place privately between the IAEA and
Iran. While the French intend on coordinating with their EU
partners before taking any action, he said that the French
perspective was one of dissatisfaction with the IAEA's
procedures and their decision and that the French would like
to approach IAEA Deputy Director Olli Heinonen to find out
how this could have happened and ensure that it does not
happen again. Assuming other EU3 members are on board, the
message France would like to convey to the IAEA is that in
the future any dealings with the Iranians involving the
potential use of nuclear-related equipment must include all
parties to the negotiations.


3. (C) Roche said that it will be the experts in Vienna who
must determine what activities were undertaken at the UCF,
but that it was his understanding that the seals were removed
by the inspectors themselves and that the Iranians conducted
maintenance that did not involve the use or production of any
radioactive material. While France is concerned and wants to
ensure that similar exceptions are not made in the future,
they do not plan on making any formal presentation accusing
the Iranians of wrongdoing because they feel it would hurt
their chances of having successful Iran-EU3 negotiations. He
added that, according to the IAEA, Iran is currently under
full, complete and verified suspension. It was an isolated
incident, Roche said, one that must not happen again, but as
far as taking Iran to task on it, he said he considered the
issue to be closed.
STAPLETON