DEMARCHE: ATTENDING IRAN-HOSTED CONFERENCE OF

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