PRC/IRAN: VFM LU GUOZENG STRESSES COMMITMENT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 004219 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP IR EU AORC CH SUBJECT: PRC/IRAN: VFM LU GUOZENG STRESSES COMMITMENT TO PREVENTING IRAN FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS; URGES PATIENCE REF: (A) BEIJING 04023 (B) BEIJING 04024 Classified By: Charge d'Affairs David Sedney. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Summary. China shares the international community's common goal of ensuring that Iran does not get nuclear weapons, Vice Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng stated. In a March 7 meeting with the CDA, Lu said he told Iranian officials during his late February trip to Iran that the "world does not trust" Iran and called on Tehran to immediately suspend uranium enrichment activities. Lu stopped in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, where officials told him they too support using diplomatic means to ensure that Iran does not get nuclear weapons. The PRC hopes the United States will exercise patience and prudence following the IAEA Board of Governors meeting and not push for immediate substantive intervention by the UNSC on the Iran issue. The international community should give the Iran-Russia negotiations more time. The CDA supported UNSC involvement not as the end of diplomatic work but rather the beginning of another, results-oriented, stage of diplomacy. End Summary. Ensuring Iran Does Not Get Nuclear Weapons -------------- ¶2. (C) VFM Lu Guozeng forcefully stated that China shares the United States' and the international community's common goal that Iran not get nuclear weapons. Iran should fulfill its NPT obligations. Following his February 24-26 trip to Tehran, he visited the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Lu said that the Foreign Ministers of these countries stressed their opposition to Iran's acquiring nuclear weapons, at the same time they insisted the issue be resolved through diplomatic means in order not to further complicate the regional situation. Any other approach would produce results the international community and Iran's neighbors do not want. This would not be in the U.S. interest, Lu said. No One Trusts Iran -------------- ¶3. (C) VFM Lu said that in his meetings with Iranian President Ahmadinejad, Secretary General of the Iranian Supreme Security Council Ali Larijani and Vice Foreign Minister Safari, he told them that the "world does not trust" Iran and called for Iran to immediately return to the moratorium on uranium enrichment. To build international confidence, Iran must also fulfill its NPT commitments and cooperate with the IAEA, he said he told the Iranians. Concern Over Iran's Internal Politics -------------- ¶4. (C) Lu gave his view that internal politics in Iran prevents Tehran from taking positive steps toward resolving the nuclear impasse. Religious and sectarian politics are influencing Iran's approach to negotiations. Lu said that the more pressure exerted from outside Iran to comply with IAEA demands, the greater the pressure from inside Iran to resist. The CDA said it is a mistake to assume that under all circumstances outside pressure on Iran will be counterproductive. Iran's leaders must consider the overall national interests of Iran. Exercise Patience -------------- ¶5. (C) VFM Lu said China values its cooperation with the United States on Iran. The PRC hopes the United States will exercise patience and prudence following the IAEA Board of Governors meeting and not push for immediate, substantive intervention by the UNSC on the Iran issue. While Iran has not taken steps to rebuild international trust, it has not "closed the door" on negotiations. Beijing is optimistic that Iran and Russia will be able to negotiate an enrichment processing deal, noting that Iran is taking a more flexible position with Russian officials than prior to the February 4 BOG resolution. These negotiations, along with Iran's talks with EU-3, should be given more time. The CDA stressed that we need to see results, Iran should not be allowed to use delay as a cover for advancing its nuclear weapons program. Differences on Utility of Further Negotiations -------------- - ¶6. (C) Lu insisted that the fact that negotiations are ongoing and that the international community is very involved in the issue is a sign that this diplomatic approach is working. The CDA responded that we have not detected any progress or change in Iran's position. We all want Iran not to have nuclear weapons. We all want diplomacy to succeed. The question is how to get the Iranians to stop. UNSC involvement signals greater international weight on the issue and gives us additional tools to use in discussions. This is BEIJING 00004219 002 OF 002 not the end of diplomatic negotiations but rather the beginning of another, more results-oriented, stage of diplomacy. Lu said he told Iranian officials that the "world does not trust" Iran and called on them to immediately suspend uranium enrichment activities. Sedney