IRANIAN CHARM OFFENSIVE FALL FLAT IN FINLAND

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000545 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07-16-2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV FI SUBJECT: IRANIAN CHARM OFFENSIVE FALL FLAT IN FINLAND Classified By: PolChief Greg Thome, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Finnish Foreign Ministry effectively turned off Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki's proposed June visit Helsinki, which apparently was intended as part of an Iranian public relations trip through the Nordics. According to MFA officials and other diplomatic contacts, Mottaki hoped for a big welcome in Helsinki, requesting meetings with Prime Minister Vanhanen, Foreign Minister Kanerva, and array of business leaders, as well as a joint Iranian-Finnish press conference and additional public speaking opportunities. Thanks, but No Thanks -------------- ¶2. (C) Initially, FM Kanerva reluctantly agreed to a short, private meeting with Mottaki, but drew the line on setting up any other events. Kanerva also expressly ruled out both a PM meeting and any sort of joint press conference. The Iranians were clearly hoping to turn the event into a charm offensive, but Kanerva had no interest in furthering that agenda, one Finnish diplomat told us. The Israeli Ambassador to Helsinki, who is highly regarded and has gotten off to a good start with the new government, also got wind of the potential visit and lobbied hard against it. When the MFA told the Iranians that a visit, if it were to occur, would be a decidedly low-key affair with no press and no PM -- Mottaki apparently withdrew the request altogether. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) Our local contacts are not quite sure what to make of the aborted Iranian visit. Last year, Iran's Deputy FM traveled through the region (meeting here with then-FM Erkki Tuomioja),and some believe that Mottaki's proposed trip was year part of an effort to capitalize on last year's trip and raise the bar a notch. Others believe it could be part of a charm offensive aimed at trying to defuse European support for any further international sanctions discussions. Either way, the Finns' "no thank you" is a welcome result. End Comment. WARE