IRAN/IAEA: FRENCH SHARE U.S. ASSESSMENT OF LATEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001331

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2016
TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL IR FR IAEA
SUBJECT: IRAN/IAEA: FRENCH SHARE U.S. ASSESSMENT OF LATEST
IAEA REPORT AND CONFIRM MARCH 3 EU3-IRAN MINISTERIAL

REF: A) STATE 33729 B) 03/02/2006 ODLUM/RECINOS E-MAILS

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, Reason 1
.4 B/D


1. (C) On March 2, we delivered ref A points, minus the "if
asked" section, on U.S. views of the latest IAEA report to
Etienne de Gonneville, an MFA action officer handling
non-proliferation issues in the Strategic Affairs
directorate. De Gonneville skimmed the U.S. text and
remarked that our assessment tracked with France's own
analysis. In response to his query on our suggestion that
IAEA Board of Governors members consider formal "special
inspection" requests to Iran, we confirmed that the United
States was not recommending a new resolution for the March 6
BOG.


2. (C) Embassy Polmiloff took the opportunity to inquire
about the latest EU3 steps on Iran-EU3 discussions. De
Gonneville confirmed that EU3 Foreign Ministers had agreed on
March 1 to meet with Iran's negotiator Larijani on Friday,
March 3 in Vienna, in an attempt to encourage the Iranians to
adhere to IAEA resolutions. De Gonneville confided that EU3
expectations were very low that Iran would comply.


3. (C) De Gonneville revealed that Chinese Vice Minister Lu
Guoleng (possibly French spelling) was meeting today, March
2, with MFA Political Director Stanislas de Laboulaye in
order to brief the French on his recently concluded meetings
with Larijani in Tehran.



Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

Stapleton