IRAN SEEKS CHAIR OF IOM EXCOM

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 086004

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2016
TAGS: PREL SMIG IR AORC
SUBJECT: IRAN SEEKS CHAIR OF IOM EXCOM

Classified By: IO DAS MLagon per E.O. 12958 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs
11 and 12.

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Summary
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2. (C) On June 7, 2006, the International Organization
for Migration (IOM),a non-UN intergovernmental
organization dedicated to promoting humane and orderly
migration, is holding its annual Executive Committee
(ExCom) meeting. The Iranian Deputy Permanent
Representative has volunteered to be Chairman of ExCom.
As yet, no other Member State has put itself forward for
this Chair position, nor has any publicly objected to
Iran's candidacy. Given Iran's continued defiance of the
international community over its pursuit of a nuclear
weapons capability, the USG does not believe it is the
time for "business as usual" with the Iranian regime.
Therefore, the Department is opposed to Iran's candidacy
and is attempting to recruit an alternative volunteer to
serve as ExCom Chair. To this end, representatives of the
U.S. Mission in Geneva will be contacting their
counterparts at your host country's mission there to
attempt to enlist their candidacy. Department seeks your
assistance in doing same with appropriate contacts within
your host country's foreign ministry.

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International Organization for Migration; Executive
Committee
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3. (U) IOM is a non-UN intergovernmental organization
dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration and to
providing humanitarian assistance to refugees, displaced
persons or other uprooted people. At present, IOM has 116
Member States and its 2005 program budget exceeded USD
$1.1 billion. The United States was instrumental in the
creation of IOM, has been a member since the
organization's inception in 1951, and is its largest
donor.


4. (U) IOM ExCom is an annual meeting whose general
function encompasses the review and consideration of the
policies, activities and budget of IOM. The United States
is a member of ExCom, in addition to the following 32
other States: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Japan,
Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria,
Peru, Romania, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Thailand, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Any State can
volunteer to be Chair of ExCom (i.e. not based on regional
representation/slates). Historically, Chair elections
have been uncontested and accepted by consensus at the
beginning of the meeting. The level of U.S.
representation at the meeting is Counselor/First Secretary
from the U.S. Mission in Geneva. Representation at this
level is also typical of other Permanent Missions in
Geneva.

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Iran Seeks ExCom Chair; U.S. Not Running
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5. (U) According to IOM Administration, the Iranian
Deputy Permanent Representative has volunteered to serve
as Chairman of ExCom. As yet, no other Member States,
including the United States, have put themselves forward
for the position or indicated their intent to do so. In
addition, no Member State has publicly objected to Iran's
candidacy. During informal consultations with
representatives of the U.S. Mission in Geneva, some
Permanent Missions expressed concern with Iran's candidacy
but indicated they would not run for the position.


6. (C) Given Iran's continued defiance of the
international community over its pursuit of a nuclear
weapons capability, the USG does not believe it is the
time for "business as usual" with the Iranian regime. As
such, the Department is opposed to Iran's candidacy and is
attempting to identify and recruit an alternative
candidate for ExCom Chair.


7. (SBU) Under the present circumstances, the United
States has chosen not to put itself forward for Chair
because permanent members of the UN Security Council have
traditionally not sought governing body positions for UN
and other intergovernmental bodies such as IOM.

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Need to Recruit Alternative Candidate
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8. (SBU) Recruitment of an alternative candidate for
ExCom Chair poses a significant challenge: Iran's
candidacy is already well known among Member States, and
any State that now runs clearly would be perceived as
doing so to oppose Iran. Moreover, the Department further
expects some resistance from States that may argue that
the United States is politicizing a humanitarian body.
While we certainly recognize in general the importance of
keeping politics separate from humanitarian issues, Iran's
positions relative to its nuclear weapons program, its
continuing role as the world's most active state sponsor
of terrorism, its interference in Iraq, and its aggressive
regional
policies are so reprehensible as to warrant action that
would isolate it from selective involvement in the
international community. Despite these challenges, the
United States' best option is to secure an alternative
candidate for ExCom Chair so as not to confer credibility
or legitimacy on Iran within this international forum. As
an ExCom representative State in good standing, your host
country is a possible candidate for Chair.


9. (C) PRM A/S Sauerbrey contacted IOM's Director General
(DG) on Wednesday, May 24, to express grave concern over
Iran's candidacy and the potentially serious damage that
could result to IOM's reputation within the international
community and to its good standing within the USG if the
Administration were unable to secure an alternative
candidate for ExCom Chair. She further urged the DG to
use his considerable influence with Member States to
manage this issue. The DG responded that Iran is "a
relatively good player" on migration issues and in that
sense behaves "like a normal Member State" but
acknowledged "the problem of Iran" given its ties to
terrorism and its pursuit of a nuclear weapons program.
The DG agreed to "see what (he) can do", further commen
ting that a USG demarche on ExCom representative States
would be very helpful in this regard.


10. (SBU) At Department's request, in the coming days,
representatives of the U.S. Mission in Geneva will contact
their counterparts at your host country's Permanent
Mission there with the following message:

-- The Executive Committee of the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) will meet in Geneva on
June 7. As the first order of business, the thirty-three
representative Member States will be asked to elect a
Chairman and vice Chairman.

-- It is our understanding that Iran has informed the IOM
Administration that it intends to seek the Chairmanship.
We are gravely concerned by the prospect of Iran chairing
the meeting of a governing body of this
organization, and trust that you share those concerns.

-- We believe that the election of Iran to any post would
not be in the best interest of the organization, and would
reflect poorly on Member States. In addition, we are
concerned that it would validate Iran's belief that it can
participate selectively in the international community.

-- We encourage you to express your reservations with regard
to Iran's candidacy; to cooperate with Member States seeking
an alternative candidate to serve as Chair of ExCom; and to
consider seeking the position yourself.

If asked:

-- The United States has chosen not to put itself forward
for Chair. As the United States is a permanent member on
the UN Security Council, we generally do not seek
positions of this type. Furthermore, as the IOM DG is an
American, some might think it would be inappropriate.

-- While the United States certainly recognizes in general
the importance of separating politics from humanitarian
fora, Iran's positions relative to its nuclear weapons
program, its continuing role as the world's most active
state sponsor of terrorism, its interference in Iraq, and
its aggressive regional policies are so reprehensible as
to warrant action to prevent its pursuit of a legitimate
role within the international community.


11. (U) Action Requested: Drawing on the above points,
the Department seeks your support in communicating this
message to the appropriate contacts within your host
country's foreign ministry or other government ministry in
a further attempt to enlist an alternative candidate for
ExCom Chair. Given that ExCom is less than 2 weeks away,
Department appreciates your response to this request by
COB Wednesday, May 31.


12. (SBU) In addressing the above concern, please note
the following informal feedback your host country provided
to representatives of the U.S. Mission in Geneva and/or
past official roles they have held within IOM governing
bodies:

-- Germany: German officials have indicated they consider
ExCom a marginal body with a limited role in a lesser
international forum in Geneva, and do not oppose Iran as
Chair. Furthermore, they have stated that the German
Ambassador is currently occupied with the Human Rights
Council so lacks capacity to assume the ExCom Chair role.

-- Guatemala: 2005 ExCom Chair; has expressed no intent to
run again in 2006 but is eligible to do so.

-- Hungary: 2005 and 2006 Chair of Sub-Committee on Budget
and Finance (SCBF),another IOM governing body; may be too
focused on SCBF to assume Chair at ExCom.

-- Italy: Italian officials have expressed reservations
about Iran as chair, but stated they would not run
themselves. They further posited that perhaps if Iran
were given a position of responsibility it would behave
more responsibly within the international community.

-- Japan: has been contacted by the Administration
regarding Iran's candidacy but reserved its opinion;
contacted the U.S. Mission and asked for the U.S. reaction
before notifying Tokyo.

-- Thailand: 2004 and 2005 ExCom Vice-Chair. Thai
officials are focused on an upcoming royal visit and have
stated they will not run. In addition, they reportedly
made an agreement with Iran last year not to run for this
year's Chair.


13. (U) Please contact Maura Nicholson, Program Officer,
PRM/MCE, at 1-202-663-3344 or at NicholsonMJ@state.gov,
with additional questions.
RICE