(S) IAEA/IRAN: UK STRAW SWINGS FM STOERE

S E C R E T OSLO 000068

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2016
TAGS: PARM KNNP PREL IR NO
SUBJECT: (S) IAEA/IRAN: UK STRAW SWINGS FM STOERE

REF: OSLO 63 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: P/E Counselor Mike Hammer, reason 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) Norwegian MFA Assistant Secretary for Security Policy
Kaare Aas (strictly protect) told us on January 19 that UK
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has successfully assuaged
Norwegian FM Jonas Stoere's concerns about what may transpire
in the UN Security Council if the IAEA Board agrees to report
Iran. Straw and Stoere spoke on January 19, and Straw
assured Stoere that reporting Iran to the UNSC would not
immediately engender a push for sanctions, rather an
escalating approach towards Iran that reinforces the IAEA.
Straw also sought to convince Stoere to follow the British
(EU-3) lead in the February 2-3 Extraordinary IAEA Board
meeting and support reporting Iran to the UNSC.


2. (S) Aas said that following his discussion with Straw,
Stoere was now prepared to drop his support for a "two stage"
approach, i.e. punting an eventual IAEA Board decision down
the pike to March. Stoere's Chief of Staff confirmed to us
separately that Stoere is now prepared to follow the British
direction on reporting Iran to UNSC.


3. (S) Comment. Aas was obviously pleased by the new
marching orders he had received from FM Stoere. Norway may
still be queasy, but we don't expect that Stoere would change
course and backtrack on his decision now to follow Britain's
lead. The conversation with Foreign Secretary Straw seems to
have done the trick and brought Stoere on board.


Visit Oslo's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m

WHITNEY


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