FOREIGN MINISTER KUBIS SAYS SLOVAKIA SUPPORTS U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000501 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IO, ISN, EUR/NCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2017 TAGS: KNNP MNUC IR IAEA AORC SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER KUBIS SAYS SLOVAKIA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITION ON IRAN-IAEA AGREEMENT REF: STATE 124823 STATE 123352 Classified By: Ambassador Rodolphe Vallee, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador conveyed ref a points to Foreign Minister Kubis on September 6. Kubis said he would try to contact IEAE DG El Baradei personally to stress concerns about the plan. The Foreign Minister also asked for and received the written talking points from Post to use in discussion with his EU colleagues at the GYMNYCH this week. Separately, PolEcon Chief delivered ref b non-paper to MFA Director for Disarament, OSCE and Counterterrorism, Karol Mistrik, on September 5. Associating the GOS position with that of the EU-3, Mistrik confirmed that Slovakia, too, has reservations about the agreement. The GOS does not share Director General El Baradei's "optimism;" in fact, it does not understand why the DG has accepted a plan which would let Iran proceed with its R&D activities. Based on experience, Mistrik said, it is clear that Iran is maneuvering to avoid additional sactions. Although he agreed that sanctions were working, Mistrik believes the regime is unified in its strong resolve to obtain nuclear weapons. PolEcon Chief stated that this was precisely why UNSC members must move to the consideration of additional sanctions. Mistrik responded that given the inclinations of "two of the P-5," the challenge of addressing with limited tools Iran's single-minded ambition will be that much more difficult. VALLEE