IAEA ELBARADEI ON U.S. STATEMENT ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L UNVIE VIENNA 000466

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2007
TAGS: ENRG IAEA PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: IAEA ELBARADEI ON U.S. STATEMENT ON IRAN

REF: STATE 87682

Classified By: AMBASSADOR GREGORY L. SCHULTE. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) IN RESPONSE TO REFTEL, AMBASSADOR SPOKE TO IAEA DG
ELBARADEI (CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN CALIFORNIA) AND ENCOURAGED
HIM TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT THAT (1) WELCOMES THE U.S.
ACTION; (2) ENCOURAGES IRAN TO SUSPEND FULLY AND VERIFIABLY
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES; AND (3) REINFORCES IRAN'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THAT CHOICE, PLACING THE ONUS ON IRAN.
ELBARADEI SAID THAT HE WELCOMED THE SECRETARY'S ANNOUNCEMENT
AND WOULD SAY SO PUBLICLY SHORTLY. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE
WOULD PUBLICLY ENCOURAGE IRAN TO MEET THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS'
REQUEST FOR FULL SUSPENSION.


2. (C) ELBARADEI ALSO TOLD US THAT HE WAS TRYING TO PHONE
IRANIAN SNSC CHIEF LARIJANI TO ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE IRANIAN
RESPONSE, BUT UNDERSTOOD THAT LARIJANI WAS IN A MEETING WITH
THE SUPREME LEADER AND WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR THE MOMENT.


3. (U) IAEA SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON
THE IAEA WEBSITE ON MAY 31:

BEGIN TEXT

STATEMENT BY IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL ON IRAN

31 MAY 2006 IAEA DIRECTOR GENERAL MOHAMED ELBARADEI WELCOMES
THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY BY U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE,
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, EXPRESSING THE READINESS OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT TO JOIN THE EU-IRAN TALKS ONCE IRAN RESPONDS
POSITIVELY TO THE IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS' CALL FOR THE
SUSPENSION OF ENRICHMENT-RELATED AND REPROCESSING ACTIVITIES
AS A CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURE.

DR. ELBARADEI STRONGLY ENCOURAGES IRAN TO CREATE THE
CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THESE TALKS, WITH
U.S. PARTICIPATION, WITH A VIEW TO ACHIEVING A COMPREHENSIVE
SETTLEMENT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY AND IRAN.
SCHULTE