Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ISLAMABAD10261
2006-06-02 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

FM KASURI TELLS IRAN "TAKE THE OFFER"

Tags:  PK PREL PGOV IR KNNP 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6094
PP RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #0261 1531246
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 021246Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0369
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 9470
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3287
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 0653
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 3662
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 0777
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1517
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 5470
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 6576
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 8553
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 1321
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 1265
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 8925
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 6776
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 010261 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV IR KNNP
SUBJECT: FM KASURI TELLS IRAN "TAKE THE OFFER"

REF: A. ISLAMABAD 10142


B. STATE 87686

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 010261

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV IR KNNP
SUBJECT: FM KASURI TELLS IRAN "TAKE THE OFFER"

REF: A. ISLAMABAD 10142


B. STATE 87686

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) On June 2, Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri told the
Ambassador that he had telephoned Iranian Foreign Minister
Muttaki the previous day to share Pakistan's assessment that
Secretary Rice's May 31 statement on Iran (Ref B) was a

SIPDIS
positive shift in U.S. policy. Kasuri told Muttaki that, in
his view, the Secretary's statement reflected consideration
by the U.S. of messages from Washington's European allies and
from Muslim countries like Pakistan. The U.S. has met
long-standing the Iranian request for direct dialogue, Kasuri
continued; as a neighbor, Pakistan strongly advised Iran to
seize this new opportunity.


2. (C) Foreign Minister Muttaki thanked Kasuri for his
call, but said that the Secretary Rice had spoken in a very
negative manner regarding Iran and the country's leadership.
This was the same old rhetoric, with nothing new from
Washington except for the conditioned offer of direct talks.
Iran will not accept these preconditions, Muttaki said,
citing the recent NAM statement that there should be no
preconditions for negotiations. If the U.S. wants to talk,
Muttaki concluded, that's fine -- but if it insists on
preconditions, Iran will have to engage the international
community diplomatically. (Note: Kasuri offered that he
wasn't sure what Muttaki meant by this final remark. End
note.)


3. (C) Kasuri responded by noting that Iran had sent the
U.S. a 17-page public letter full of negative rhetoric. It
was clear, Kasuri said, that this letter was intended to
speak to Tehran's domestic constituency; it is just as clear
that Secretary Rice was speaking to Washington's. Kasuri
again urged Iran to announce an immediate suspension of its
enrichment program in order to give dialogue a chance.


4. (C) Muttaki thanked Kasuri again for calling, saying
that Iran would take Pakistan's advice into account as it
considers the U.S. offer.


5. (C) Comment: Following his read-out of the Muttaki
conversation, Kasuri observed that U.S. media analysts are
skeptical that the Secretary's statement actually represents
an important policy shift, suggesting that the U.S. offer to
join the EU's direct talks may be nothing more than a ploy to
shift the burden to Tehran. The Ambassador replied that the
media is notoriously cynical. Kasuri may be mildly worried
that he has gone out on a limb by endorsing the Secretary's
statement so vigorously.
CROCKER