COTE D'IVOIRE DEMARCHED ON UNSCR 1747 (IRAN)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000595 SIPDIS SIPDIS ISN FOR RICHARD NEPHEW AND RISA MONGIELLO TREASURY FOR TREASURY-TFI AND DESK OFFICER DAN PETERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2017 TAGS: KNNP EFIN IR UNSC AORC ETRD TRGY IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE DEMARCHED ON UNSCR 1747 (IRAN) REF: SECSTATE 73219 Classified By: EconChief EMassinga, reasons 1.4 (b,d) 1) (SBU) Emboff delivered reftel points to Ambassador Tanoh Boutchoue, Director of the MFA's Office of International Organizations and UN Affairs, on June 3, and left non-paper talking points regarding the need for a solid international effort to provide reports on efforts to restrict arms transfers to Iran for further MFA review. Ambassador Boutchoue indicated the MFA would engage with the Embassy if the GOCI has any official reaction. 2) (C) Speaking informally, Ambassador Boutchoue indicated some measure of sympathy for Iran's position, asserting that Iran has the right under international law to develop peaceful nuclear energy and noting that Israel is a well-armed nuclear state. Questioned about Iran's overt threats to destroy Israel, Boutchoue averred that Iran is more bluster than real menace, and that Iranian rhetoric does have the effect of unnecessarily provoking the West (and by extension, the U.S.). Boutchoue also offered his government's good offices to pass backchannel messages to, and to play a moderating role with, the Iranian government, which he described as "a friend." HOOKS