RESULTS REPORT: DVC WITH U.S. PERMANENT

UNCLAS PRETORIA 004618

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD - TROOKARD; AF/S - MTABLER-STONE; VIENNA FOR
MBOLAND

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD KPAO SF
SUBJECT: RESULTS REPORT: DVC WITH U.S. PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE TO UN MISSION TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
AMB GREGORY SCHULTE; MPP GOAL - REGIONAL STABILITY



1. Activity: On November 16, PAS hosted a DVC featuring
U.S. Perm Rep to the UN Mission to International
Organizations Ambassador Gregory Schulte. The focus of the
program was U.S. perspectives on Iran's nuclear aspirations,
and targeted a media audience. The program resulted in
print and broadcast coverage of the U.S. views in media with
nationwide coverage.


2. Ambassador Schulte spoke for an hour with four of the
most senior international affairs journalists in South
Africa, and framed his comments within the context of next
week's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of
Governor's meeting. The Ambassador underscored the U.S.
view that a diplomatic solution to the question of Iran's
nuclear development program must be found, and that
international consensus was the best way forward.


3. Elaborating on U.S. skepticism regarding Iran's nuclear
program, the Ambassador noted that South Africa had
experience with the question of nuclear processing that
might be of utility in the discussions, but reiterated that
the U.S. was seeking combined international pressure on the
Iranian government.


4. Coverage resulting from this program reached all corners
of South Africa. On November 16 and 17, Radio 702 (approx.
audience 300,000) aired news segments detailing the U.S.
position and suggesting that the South African government
had a positive role to play. The same news segments ran on
SAfm (approx. audience 600,000) on November 17. The program
also resulted in two prominent print articles, one in
Business Day (circ. 40,000) and the other in the Independent
newspapers, including the Pretoria News (circ. 28,000).
Both articles focused on the importance of the upcoming
meeting in light of U.S. concerns about Iranian intent.


5. Results: Very good. The journalists present for this
program were among the most influential in the country, and
the resulting coverage was significant given the relatively
low profile the issue had previously assumed. It is safe to
say that the U.S. message imparted by Ambassador Schulte
reached the decision-making elite in South Africa. Pretoria
appreciates the considerable effort made by the Ambassador
and his staff to make this program happen.

TEITELBAUM