DJIBOUTI AND REPORTING IRAN TO UNITED NATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000063 SIPDIS STATE FOR UNDER SECRETARY FOR ARMS CONTROL JOSEPH STATE ALSO FOR AF, NEA, AF/RA AND AF/E NSC FOR AF DIRECTOR DR. COURVILLE PARIS, LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2016 TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL AORC IR EU DJ SUBJECT: DJIBOUTI AND REPORTING IRAN TO UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL REF: SECSTATE 6236 Classified By: AMBASSADOR MARGUERITA D. RAGSDALE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Per reftel instructions, Ambassador briefed Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Yousuf January 14 on U.S. views regarding Iran's decision to proceed with uranium enrichment activities. In a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA),Ambassador conveyed talking points provided in reftel as well as text of the European Union (EU) and U.S. ministerial statements issued after the decision. Although non-papers shared were in English, Ambassador promised to provide formal French translations for MFA use within the next few days. ¶2. (C) The Foreign Minister responded that if the matter of Iran is referred to the United Nations, and sanctions are instituted, the results will be disastrous for economies of the Horn of Africa region. He expressed the view that oil prices would certainly rise as a result of sanctions, compounding the region's economic instability. The Minister stated that Djibouti would not like to see sanctions implemented against Iran and that it hoped the problem could be resolved diplomatically. Iran has no diplomatic mission in Djibouti but the Foreign Minister said his government is working through other channels to encourage a positive Iranian response to the demands of the international community. ¶3. (C) The Foreign Minister expressed to the Ambassador the view that the actions of Iran's president in moving to proceed with enrichment appear aimed at the Iranian internal audience rather than the international community. He concluded that there is no logical way to explain the position Iran has taken on this issue, as well as on other issues such as Israel's right to exist, except in these terms. It appears, the Foreign Minister added, that Iran's president is seeking to gain a large measure of support from the country's conservatives, a move consistent with his efforts to roll back some of the reforms seen in Iran during the Khatami era. RAGSDALE