MALAYSIAN RESPONSE TO U.S. STATEMENT ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000995 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/IR E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV IR SUBJECT: MALAYSIAN RESPONSE TO U.S. STATEMENT ON IRAN REF: SECSTATE 87682 Classified By: David B. Shear, Deputy Chief of Mission, Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). On June 1 the Ambassador conveyed reftel talking points to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister Kadir, Foreign Ministry Secretary General Rastam and Ambassador at Large (for US SIPDIS Affairs) Ghazzali. (Note: Foreign Minister Hamid is visiting Australia.) Kadir took note of our request and committed to inform the PM. Rastam welcomed the U.S. initiative, expressing the hope that it would lead to constructive talks with the Iranians. He recalled that Malaysia had just hosted the NAM Ministerial, whose concluding statement emphasized the need to solve the Iran nuclear problem through diplomacy and called for a resumption of negotiations. Noting that the NAM had specified that there be no with preconditions for such talks, Rastam implied that any Malaysian comment on our initiative would have to sidestep our insistence on prior commitments by the Iranians. However, he undertook to review Secretary Rice's statement and our request with senior GOM SIPDIS officials and determine how Malaysia could respond. The Ambassador emphasized that in addition to the NAM, Malaysia also had responsibilities as an influential member of the UN and the IAEA, both of which were insisting that Iran halt reprocessing and bring its nuclear programs into compliance with the IAEA. He pressed Rastam to issue a positive statement on our initiative as quickly as possible. LAFLEUR