Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06OSLO1054
2006-08-23 14:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:
NORWAY: THE SYRIA/IRAN ARMS EMBARGO, POLITICAL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHNY #1054 2351420 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 231420Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY OSLO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4490 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0206
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 001054
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA, EUR, PM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016
TAGS: IS LE MARR MOPS NO PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: NORWAY: THE SYRIA/IRAN ARMS EMBARGO, POLITICAL
CONTACT AND THE WAY FORWARD ON UNIFIL
REF: A. STATE 136196
B. OSLO 1018
Classified By: DCM Kevin Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 001054
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA, EUR, PM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016
TAGS: IS LE MARR MOPS NO PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: NORWAY: THE SYRIA/IRAN ARMS EMBARGO, POLITICAL
CONTACT AND THE WAY FORWARD ON UNIFIL
REF: A. STATE 136196
B. OSLO 1018
Classified By: DCM Kevin Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Post delivered reftel A on August 22 to the
head of Norway's Middle East Section, Kaare Eltervaag.
Eltervaag assured us that Norway was in full support the
embargo and that no new 'political' delegations were
scheduled to travel to Damascus or Tehran. Eltervaag also
explained the political process that their proposed UNIFIL
force package will be subject to before the GON can
unequivocally make its contribution. END SUMMARY
2. (C) Eltervaag noted that there are still discussions
ongoing between A/S David Welch from NEA and State Secretary
Raymond Johansen about Johansen's travel to Damascus, but
that no other political delegations were scheduled to go to
Syria or Iran. Nevertheless, he reiterated that it is
Norwegian policy to continue dialogue with the governments in
both countries and that business level contact is a daily
occurrence in both Damascus and Tehran. On this point, he
noted that FM Stoere co-authored an Op-Ed that would be
published on August 23 that would underscore his preference
for pulling Iran and Syria back into dialogue as opposed to
isolating them. Eltervaag said that the arms embargo has full
Norwegian support and that they will continue to remind their
contacts of the importance of maintaining the embargo at this
crucial juncture. (NOTE: Stoere,s aforementioned article was
published today, co-written by George Papandreu and Pierro
Fassino. The article criticized the attacks on Lebanon and
stated that the only way to reach a lasting peace in the
Middle East is to involve Iran and Syria in peace
negotiations with the US, UN, EU, and Russia as was done in
the Oslo or Madrid peace processes.)
3. (SBU) Eltervaag said that the political process for
getting final government approval of a UNIFIL contribution
will likely take part in two separate parliamentary sessions.
First, there will be meeting of the smaller Defense Committee
to discuss options and go into detailed issues, and only then
will there be an open session of the entire parliament. He
said that there is one reason for the open session, which is
that the military mission to Lebanon is politically
complicated: lawmakers opined that a full and open discussion
in the parliament would ensure complete "buy-in" as well as
offer a forum for explaining the complexities of the mission
to the Norwegian public.
4. (C) Eltervaag stated that there is no dispute about
sending a military contribution, but that there will be an
issue about how large the force should be and whether or not
to include non-professional soldiers who are serving their
mandatory military duty. This is a political hot potato in
Eltervaag's opinion, and he says that the discussion on this
aspect of the mission could be divisive.
Visit Oslo's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m
WHITNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA, EUR, PM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2016
TAGS: IS LE MARR MOPS NO PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: NORWAY: THE SYRIA/IRAN ARMS EMBARGO, POLITICAL
CONTACT AND THE WAY FORWARD ON UNIFIL
REF: A. STATE 136196
B. OSLO 1018
Classified By: DCM Kevin Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Post delivered reftel A on August 22 to the
head of Norway's Middle East Section, Kaare Eltervaag.
Eltervaag assured us that Norway was in full support the
embargo and that no new 'political' delegations were
scheduled to travel to Damascus or Tehran. Eltervaag also
explained the political process that their proposed UNIFIL
force package will be subject to before the GON can
unequivocally make its contribution. END SUMMARY
2. (C) Eltervaag noted that there are still discussions
ongoing between A/S David Welch from NEA and State Secretary
Raymond Johansen about Johansen's travel to Damascus, but
that no other political delegations were scheduled to go to
Syria or Iran. Nevertheless, he reiterated that it is
Norwegian policy to continue dialogue with the governments in
both countries and that business level contact is a daily
occurrence in both Damascus and Tehran. On this point, he
noted that FM Stoere co-authored an Op-Ed that would be
published on August 23 that would underscore his preference
for pulling Iran and Syria back into dialogue as opposed to
isolating them. Eltervaag said that the arms embargo has full
Norwegian support and that they will continue to remind their
contacts of the importance of maintaining the embargo at this
crucial juncture. (NOTE: Stoere,s aforementioned article was
published today, co-written by George Papandreu and Pierro
Fassino. The article criticized the attacks on Lebanon and
stated that the only way to reach a lasting peace in the
Middle East is to involve Iran and Syria in peace
negotiations with the US, UN, EU, and Russia as was done in
the Oslo or Madrid peace processes.)
3. (SBU) Eltervaag said that the political process for
getting final government approval of a UNIFIL contribution
will likely take part in two separate parliamentary sessions.
First, there will be meeting of the smaller Defense Committee
to discuss options and go into detailed issues, and only then
will there be an open session of the entire parliament. He
said that there is one reason for the open session, which is
that the military mission to Lebanon is politically
complicated: lawmakers opined that a full and open discussion
in the parliament would ensure complete "buy-in" as well as
offer a forum for explaining the complexities of the mission
to the Norwegian public.
4. (C) Eltervaag stated that there is no dispute about
sending a military contribution, but that there will be an
issue about how large the force should be and whether or not
to include non-professional soldiers who are serving their
mandatory military duty. This is a political hot potato in
Eltervaag's opinion, and he says that the discussion on this
aspect of the mission could be divisive.
Visit Oslo's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m
WHITNEY