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