OMAN'S FM ON RECENT VISIT OF IRANIAN FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 001558 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR P, NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2016 TAGS: PREL KNNP MU IR SUBJECT: OMAN'S FM ON RECENT VISIT OF IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER REF: MUSCAT 01414 Classified By: AMBASSADOR GARY A. GRAPPO PER 1.5 (B AND D). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yusef bin Alawi November 4 to review the October 31 visit to Oman of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Motaki. Motaki, who stayed for only a few hours, told the Omani Minister that the Iranians had reached an understanding with EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana on eleven points related to nuclear technology and development, and that its consortium proposal had not been rejected. The Iranian warned that his government would not negotiate under the threat of sanctions and claimed that the government is already coming under pressure from the Iranian parliament to break off discussions with the P-5 plus-one. Although Lebanon and Iraq were not discussed in significant detail, bin Alawi reconfirmed Omani concerns that Iran is angling to play a greater role in regional affairs, including possibly in the Israeli-Palestinian matter. End summary. ¶2. (C) Bin Alawi told the Ambassador that FM Motaki's stop in Oman was in response to the Omani FM's September visit to Tehran (reftel) and part of a regional tour that also included Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. The Gulf tour specifically did not include Saudi Arabia (NFI),said bin Alawi. Motaki's discussion focused almost entirely on the nuclear portfolio and Iran's discussions with the EU. The Iranian FM told bin Alawi that discussions with Javier Solana had gone well and that "an understanding" had been reached on eleven points (NFI). Discussions continued, however, on the Iranian proposal to form a consortium to manage Iran's acquisition and use of nuclear technology and materials. The consortium, said bin Alawi, would give Tehran the control they wanted and the domestic political cover they needed. The Tehran-based consortium would purportedly include international (largely western) companies, be open to IAEA inspection and have charge of all nuclear fuel enrichment. Motaki would only say that Solana had "not rejected" the Iranians' consortium idea. Regarding the UN Security Council's insistence that Iran suspend enrichment, Motaki told bin Alawi that Iran was willing to suspend its activities until the consortium was formed, or about two months. ¶3. (C) Bin Alawi said he underscored to the Iranian Oman's opposition to the introduction of nuclear weapons into the region and urged him to continue earnest negotiations with the UNSC to reach an acceptable agreement. Motaki reportedly responded that his government is under increasing pressure from Iran's parliament to break off negotiations, especially if sanctions are imposed. Bin Alawi said that his Iranian counterpart was adamant that Iran would not negotiate under the pressure of sanctions and would likely suspend many of the IAEA's remaining monitoring and inspection activities in Iran if a sanctions resolution were adopted. Bin Alawi mused that while some of this was bluff, the Iranians are likely to become more obstinate if UNSC sanctions are adopted. "The Iranians become belligerent and stubborn when backed into a corner," he said. ¶4. (C) The Omani minister said there was little discussion about either Lebanon or Iraq with his Iranian visitor. However, he offered his assessment that, in view of Hizballah's "victory" in southern Lebanon, the Iranians will continue to assert themselves in the region and he would not be surprised to see them attempt to play or claim some role in the Israeli-Palestinian issue. "Obviously, some Arabs would have reservations with any such Iranian attempt," he averred. He concluded by observing that the U.S., following this week's mid-term elections, will have to become "much more active" to avert such a consequence; "and you've only got one year before you are swallowed up in the 2008 elections." GRAPPO