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 \ \ SIPDIS \ \ C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- FORMATTING \ \ SIPDIS \ \ STATE FOR P, EUR, NEA, CA \ \ E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2016 \ TAGS: PREL KNNP CASC SZ SUBJECT: SWISS DFA DEPUTY POLDIR ON IRAN, UNHRC, AND \ BILATERAL RELATIONS \ \ REF: A. BERN 1593 \ \ ¶B. BERN 1553 \ \ BERN 00001686 001.2 OF 002 \ \ \ Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Carol Urban, reasons \ 1.4 b/d \ \ 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. \ \ Surprise at Numerous Areas of Cooperation \ -------------- \ \ 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. \ \ 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. \ \ Human Rights Council \ -------------- \ \ 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. \ \ Iran \ -------------- \ \ 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 \ \ BERN 00001686 002.2 OF 002 \ \ \ 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. \ \ 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. \ \ Comment \ -------------- \ \ 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 \