SWISS DFA DEPUTY POLDIR ON IRAN, UNHRC, AND \

78299 2006-09-14 07:49:00 06BERN1686 Embassy Bern CONFIDENTIAL 06BERN1593 VZCZCXRO2756\
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK\
DE RUEHSW #1686/01 2570749\
ZNY CCCCC ZZH\
P 140749Z SEP 06 ZDS\
FM AMEMBASSY BERN\
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3005\
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE\
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE\
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2595\
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0099 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERN 001686 \
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SIPDIS \
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C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- FORMATTING \
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SIPDIS \
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STATE FOR P, EUR, NEA, CA \
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2016 \
TAGS: PREL KNNP CASC SZ
SUBJECT: SWISS DFA DEPUTY POLDIR ON IRAN, UNHRC, AND \
BILATERAL RELATIONS \
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REF: A. BERN 1593 \
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B. BERN 1553 \
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BERN 00001686 001.2 OF 002 \
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Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Carol Urban, reasons \
1.4 b/d \
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1.(C) Summary: Charge d'Affaires has asked Swiss DFA \
Deputy Poldir Thalmann to help spread the positive news about \
U.S.-Swiss bilateral cooperation. Charge also urged the \
Swiss not to break with transatlantic unity on the UN Human \
Rights Council (HRC) and Iran. Thalmann, who was pleasantly \
surprised in the number of areas the United States and \
Switzerland cooperate, said that Switzerland very much hoped \
that EUR A/S Dan Fried would visit Bern in the fall. \
Thalmann revealed broad Swiss frustration with the HRC and \
confided that there had been considerable internal debate \
over Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey's decision to abstain on the \
anti-Israel resolutions. On Iran, Thalmann rejected a \
confrontational stance for Switzerland and mentioned that \
his government -- as U.S. protecting power in Iran -- had \
assigned additional security personnel at the SPP facility \
in Tehran. End summary. \
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Surprise at Numerous Areas of Cooperation \
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2.(C) Charge d'Affaires Urban used her introductory \
courtesy call on incoming Department of Foreign Affairs \
(DFA) Deputy Political Director Anthon Thalmann in early \
September to press for greater Swiss acknowledgment of the \
positive areas of cooperation underway between Bern and \
Washington. DFA Americas Division deputy Urs Hammer, desk \
officer Balz Abplanalp, and Poloff joined the meeting. \
Charge \
reminded Thalmann that Switzerland and the United States in \
May had signed a framework agreement on enhanced political \
dialogue -- as well as agreements on trade/investment and law \
enforcement. Unfortunately, little positive about the \
bilateral relationship was reported on in the press. Swiss \
Foreign Minister Calmy-Rey had been critical of the United \
States in her August speech to Swiss Ambassadors \
(reftels). With the public story primarily negative, it \
was difficult to imagine how the enhanced dialog could go \
forward. \
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3.(C) Thalmann replied that he had been surprised at the \
numerous areas of cooperation between the United States and \
Switzerland. Switzerland, he said, was anxious to add \
substance to the framework agreement and hoped that \
Assistant Secretary Dan Fried would be able to visit Bern \
in the fall. As for Calmy-Rey, Thalmann observed that she \
was from the Socialist Party, which was traditionally \
critical of the United States. "However, they are NOT in \
the majority," he said bluntly, as he told his notetakers \
to put down their pens. (Comment: The Socialists and \
other left-wing parties garnered a little over one-third of \
the nationwide vote in the 2003 elections. End comment.) \
Thalmann said that he understood that Calmy-Rey planned to \
deliver some "feel good" speeches on the United States in \
the coming weeks. \
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Human Rights Council \
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4.(C) Charge reviewed the disappointing track record of the \
HRC since its inception last June. The two special \
sessions involved little more than Israel bashing. Adding \
to our chagrin was Switzerland's decision to abstain on two \
imbalanced resolutions, when the remainder of Western Group \
united to oppose. Thalmann admitted there had been heated \
internal debate within the Swiss DFA on the issue of \
abstention, but that ultimately FM Calmy-Rey's decision was \
final. The only consolation had been that Islamic \
countries had also complained about Bern's decision not to \
support. The HRC was not what Switzerland had hoped for, \
Thalmann conceded. The Swiss continued to hope that the \
process of peer review would have a moderating effect on \
member states. \
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Iran \
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5.(C) Addressing Iran's failure to meet the UN Security \
Council's deadline, Charge urged Switzerland not to split \
from P6 consensus, or P3 consensus if Russia or China chose \
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BERN 00001686 002.2 OF 002 \
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to split off. Thalmann demurred from a direct commitment, \
saying that it was not Switzerland's role to pressure \
Iran. Thalmann agreed only that "Switzerland would not \
undermine P6 efforts." Charge retorted that she hoped \
Switzerland, in its dealings with Iran, would not give \
Tehran false hope of splitting the West, to which Thalmann \
appeared taken aback. \
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6.(C) Turning to Switzerland's role as Protecting Power \
(SPP) for the United States in Iran, Thalmann informed \
Charge that the Swiss Embassy in Tehran had beefed up \
security at the SPP facility (some distance away). More \
security personnel were now on hand. He said that he hoped \
these new security measures would not hinder the quality of \
services provided. \
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Comment \
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7.(C) Our repeated pleas for public acknowledgment of \
U.S.-Swiss cooperation appear to have registered with key \
Swiss officials. On the issue of Western unity, Swiss \
officials are a somewhat schizophrenic -- proselytizing on \
behalf of multilateralism, while chafing at pressure to toe \
the Western line. In the end, however, the Swiss do not \
wish to be isolated from their closest Western partners. \
As demonstrated in their push last year to complete three \
bilateral agreements in political, economic, and law \
enforcement spheres, the Swiss also retain an interest in \
working with us in areas of mutual concern. \
URBAN \