IRANIAN FM HEARS UNIFIED MESSAGE FROM GOG AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001852

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/SE, NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PARM IR MARR MNUC MOPS PINR GR
SUBJECT: IRANIAN FM HEARS UNIFIED MESSAGE FROM GOG AND
SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

REF: ATHENS 1821 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Charles P. Ries for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: During a July 14 meeting between Greek PM
Karamalis and Iranian FM Motaki, the PM delivered the
international community's common position, imploring Iran to
accept the P5 plus one nuclear package delivered to Iran's
nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in early June. Deputy FM
Valynakis, who participated in the Karamanlis-Motaki meeting,
told Ambassador and EUR DAS Bryza that Motaki's main
objective while in Greece was to gauge whether Greece would
lend an "attentive ear" to the GoI position on their right to
pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Karamanlis'
firm response that Iran "accept the package" led Motaki to
argue that Iran required more time to review the proposal,
but that in the meantime, the Iranian government is prepared
for "all options." While in Greece, Motaki attended a July
15 Socialist International "presidium," probably in an
attempt to flush out sympathizers among the socialist party
leaders, which he apparently did not find. In both venues,
Motaki implied that the "passive European attitude" toward
the Middle East concerning Iraq, Afghanistan, the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the current standoff
between Israel and Hezbullah is partially to blame for
continued regional instability, particularly the failure of
the Oslo Accords. End Summary.

PM TELLS MOTAKI TO ACCEPT THE PACKAGE
--------------

2. (C) During a July 14 meeting with Deputy Foreign
Minister Yiannis Valynakis, Ambassador Ries and visiting EUR
DAS Bryza received a readout of PM Karamanlis' meeting
earlier in the day with Iranian FM Manouchehr Motaki.
According to Valynakis, the PM delivered a strong message to
Motaki to accept the P5 plus one nuclear package of
incentives and penalties delivered to Iran's nuclear
negotiator Ali Larijani in early June. Karamanlis emphasized
the package had "no hidden agendas," and encouraged Motaki to
help to build a productive relationship with the
international community "based on trust." According to
Valynakis, Karamanlis further stated that this is the only
offer on the table; there is no additional time to be bought
nor additional concessions to be made. Ultimately, the PM
told Motaki, the international community is waiting for a
response to the package, and delays will not be productive.


3. (C) Valynakis reported that, as expected, FM Motaki did
not have a concrete response for Karamanlis on the nuclear
package, nor did he provide a commitment on the timing of a
response. Motaki emphasized that the Iranian government is
prepared for "all options," reiterating that the GoI cannot
ignore its people's "right" to produce nuclear energy for
peaceful purposes. PM Karamanlis apparently retorted that he
did in fact question that "right." On timing, Motaki
repeatedly argued that it was not unreasonable for the GoI to
take more than two months to review a proposal that took four
months to prepare, and felt the P5 plus one statement in
advance of the July 15 G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg was
unreasonable. Ultimately, Motaki hoped to secure a solution
to the impasse through negotiations that are not subject to
preconditions or "arbitrary" time constraints. Continued
demands for an immediate reply, Motaki added, only lend to a
"damaging atmosphere."

SOCIALISTS REINFORCE MESSAGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
-------------- --------------

4. (C) Motaki visited Greece for a Socialist International
"presidium" on July 15 (reftels),at the invitation of
opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou, also president of
Socialist International (SI). While we were told Motaki
would only have a "coffee" with the SI delegates, who were
incidentally not aware Motaki would be joining them, the
range of issues covered indicated a longer meeting.
According to Paulina Lampsa, International Relations
Secretary of PASOK, Motaki was looking to find solidarity

SIPDIS
with Socialist Party leaders to "help Iran save face."
Additionally, Motaki sought to gain time for Iran to
negotiate with Solana and lower level reps of the P5 1, as he
requested in his official meetings with the Greek PM.


5. (C) To Motaki's reported chagrin, however, he was
confronted with the same "tough" message from SI as he heard
from the GoG the day prior, but this time from a wider
audience. For example, according to Lampsa, Moroccan
Minister El-Yazghi told Motaki "the Arab world, not just the
U.S. and EU, is concerned with what you are doing."
Discussing the nuclear package, Motaki said the preconditions
and incentives were ambiguous. When pressed for specifics,

ATHENS 00001852 002 OF 002


he replied that it was not clear whether the economic
incentives were a gesture "from the EU to Iran, or from Iran
to the EU." Lampsa reported that as SI tried to push a
formula to make some progress on the nuclear question,
accompanying officials around the minister, especially the
Deputy FM, "would not let that happen."

ON ISRAEL
--------------

6. (C) During his meeting with Karamanlis, Motaki commented
that the EU's passive attitude and the GoG's inactivity did
not help situation in the Middle East. Motaki forewarned
that continued pressure on Hamas would only drive them closer
to the jihadist camp. Lampsa reported that Motaki tried to
exploit the generally sympathetic feelings of SI toward
Palestine to justify harsh words against Israel, describing
how Israel oppresses Arabs. Lampsa reported that when SI
members criticized statements by President Ahmedinejad
regarding the destruction of Israel, Motaki replied that
President Ahmedinejad has not made this statement -- it is an
incorrect translation. During the SI meeting, Motaki
reportedly contended that "you Europeans" created the Israel
problem with the Holocaust, and so "you must take the
Israelis back." Motaki also suggested that regime change
would be the best solution for the Israel question, comparing
Jews in Israel to the whites "expelled" from South Africa
after regime change there.

ON ARMING HEZBULLAH
--------------

7. (C) When speaking with Karamanlis, Valynakis reported
that Motaki appeared incredulous on the current state of
affairs in Lebanon, questioning how Hezbullah could be asked
to show restraint when under Israeli attack. Cooperation
could only be considered, he continued, once Israel is
compelled to stop its aggression. Iran's relationship with
Hezbullah was also addressed during talks on the margins of
the SI weekend meeting. Although Motaki told the SI
presidium that Iran is not interfering in the affairs of its
neighbors, he refused to answer the direct question of
whether Iran is arming Hezbullah Lampsa took his silence as
a indication that the arming was true.

ON IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
--------------

8. (C) On Iraq and Afghanistan, Motaki again negatively
characterized the EU role as "passive." He explained to PM
Karamanlis that Iran's geographic position affords it a
unique vantage point to understand realities on the ground,
implying the EU should look toward Iran, not the U.S., for
guidance in the region. Motaki characterized the state of
affairs as "at an impasse," warning that the U.S. and
international community not continue on their current path.


9. (C) Comment: Iranian FM Motaki's trip to Greece may have
proved disappointing for the GoI. While hoping to identify a
receptive, sympathetic ear among the GoG and/or socialist
party leaders attending the Socialist International meeting,
our contacts tell us that Motaki was repeatedly met with a
stalwart and unified response reflecting the common
international position.
RIES