Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06STATE86446
2006-05-26 23:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE: ATTENDING IRAN-HOSTED CONFERENCE OF

Tags:  PGOV PREL IZ IR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #6446 1462332
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 262326Z MAY 06
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0000
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0000
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0000
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0000
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 0000
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 0000
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0000
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0000
INFO RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 0000
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 0000
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 086446 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ IR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: ATTENDING IRAN-HOSTED CONFERENCE OF
IRAQ'S NEIGHBORS

Classified By: NEA A/S DAVID WELCH, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 086446

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ IR
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: ATTENDING IRAN-HOSTED CONFERENCE OF
IRAQ'S NEIGHBORS

Classified By: NEA A/S DAVID WELCH, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (U) This is an action request, please see paragraph 2.


2. (C) Summary and Action request. Iran plans to host an
"Iraq and its Neighbors" conference - to include Iraq, Iran,
Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, and
Bahrain, as well as a UNAMI representative - proposed May
31-June 1. The last meeting of this group was held in
Istanbul in June 2005. We do not expect this meeting to
produce significant results. Iraq will see a strong need to
participate in this meeting, especially considering the May
26 visit of the Iranian foreign minister. Action addressees
are requested to draw from the following points and deliver
them to appropriate host government interlocutors.


3. (U) Begin Talking Points:

For all action addressees:

--We understand you will be invited to the "Iraq and Its
Neighbors" conference in Tehran, proposed for May 31-June 1.
There will be many conferences coming up in the next few
months to discuss how to help the Iraqi people. While it is
important that Iraq have normal relations with each of its
neighbors, we encourage your government to engage in a
minimal level of participation in this conference given its
timing and location.

--We urge, in particular, that you send representatives at
lower levels than to the Istanbul meeting.

--Tehran may use this conference as a platform to make
further aggressive statements at a time when the
international community is working to counter Iran's
belligerent behavior.

--Below points explain in more detail our rationale. We also
request that interlocutors draw on them in dealing with Iran
on, or during, this meeting.

--Considering Iran's unhelpful rhetoric and meddling in
Iraq's internal affairs, its unwillingness to cooperate with
the international community by its pursuit of nuclear
weapons, its support for IED attacks against Iraqis and
Coalition partners in Iraq, and its continuing role as the
world's most active state sponsor support of terrorism, the
Iranian regime should not be rewarded for its destabilizing
and aggressive regional policies. Rather, it should
understand that there are costs for such behavior.

--We have made clear our serious concerns about Iranian
interference in Iraqi internal politics, its support for
militias, which operate outside the control of government,
and its support for violence and terror in Iraq and around
the world.

--Together, we must press the Iranian regime to cease actions
that contribute to instability in Iraq, but this conference
is not the venue to do so. We would encourage you to use the
opportunity of this meeting to press Iran to live up to its
UNSCR 1546 and Sharm al-Sheikh commitments. We would
particularly welcome clear public statements to this effect
before and after the meeting.

--Iran must stop the flow of arms and munitions into Iraq.
Analysis of advanced IEDs used to kill US, Iraqi, and
Coalition personnel in Iraq indicates Iranian design and
production.

--Iran must cease its support for radical Shi'a elements and
those who advocate and use violence as a political tool.

--Iran must end its financial and logistical support to
terrorists and their networks operating within Iraq and
neighboring countries.

--We must maintain international pressure on Iran to enable
diplomacy to work. We trust you will assist us in moderating
Iranian foreign policy and assuring their compliance with
international commitments.

--For these reasons, we encourage your government to engage
in a minimal level of participation in this conference and to
ensure that any public statements urge the Iranian regime to
end its unhelpful interference in Iraq.

For Ankara only:

--We appreciate and encourage Turkey's efforts to shift the
proposed conference venue from Tehran to the margins of the
scheduled June 19-22 OIC foreign minister's conference in
Baku.

For Baghdad only:

--As Prime Minister al-Maliki and his cabinet begin their
term of office, it is critical that they deliver a strong
message to Iran's leadership that continued interference in
Iraq's internal affairs, support for terrorism, and provision
of weapons and explosives to Iraqi insurgent groups must end.


--The best way to do this, in this instance, is via an
appropriately low-level delegation.

--Subsequent to the May 26 visit of the Iranian foreign
minister, Iraqi officials should use the meeting to
underscore Iraq's commitment to stopping violence and terror
in Iraq and condemning all forms of terrorism and terrorist
support and make clear that it expects Iran to do the same.

--Iran must respect Iraq's sovereignty and commit to a
peaceful, diplomatic means in building relations with its
neighbor.

End Talking Points.
RICE