Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KUALALUMPUR1675
2007-12-04 10:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:
IRAN DEMARCHE DELIVERED; SENIOR IRAN ENVOY LOBBIES
how-toVZCZCXRO3015 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHKL #1675 3381051 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 041051Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0325 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2421 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0356 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2475 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0116 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1052
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001675
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN, EAP AND EAP/MTS
NSC FOR RENEE PAN AND L.PHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2022
TAGS: PARM PREL KNNP MNUC IR MY
SUBJECT: IRAN DEMARCHE DELIVERED; SENIOR IRAN ENVOY LOBBIES
MALAYSIA; GOM WEIGHING APPROACH TO UNSC SANCTIONS
REF: STATE 162558
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark reasons 1.4 (b and
d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 001675
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN, EAP AND EAP/MTS
NSC FOR RENEE PAN AND L.PHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2022
TAGS: PARM PREL KNNP MNUC IR MY
SUBJECT: IRAN DEMARCHE DELIVERED; SENIOR IRAN ENVOY LOBBIES
MALAYSIA; GOM WEIGHING APPROACH TO UNSC SANCTIONS
REF: STATE 162558
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark reasons 1.4 (b and
d).
1. (C) Polchief on December 4 delivered reftel demarche
regarding the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran's
nuclear program to Wan Yusri, Principal Assistant Secretary
in the Multilateral Political Division of Malaysia's Foreign
Ministry. Yusri thanked polchief for the timely information
and the clarification of the U.S. position. The media
reports of the NIE had attracted the immediate attention of
senior Foreign Ministry officials who wanted to know the
impact of this on U.S. views of further UN Security Council
sanctions against Iran. Polchief emphasized that if Iran
continues to disregard the legitimate concerns of the
international community, the U.S. would continue to work with
the international community to put in place effective
measures to persuade Iran to meet its nonproliferation
obligations.
2. (C) Wan Yusri added that coincidentally Iranian envoy
Javad Zarif, Senior Assistant to the Iranian Foreign
Minister, had called on the Foreign Ministry earlier on
December 4. Javad Zarif met with Malaysian Foreign Minister
Syed Hamid Albar and primarily discussed issues related to
Iran's "nuclear program," in addition to some bilateral
matters. Wan Yusri would not elaborate further on Javad
Zarif's discussions or mission in Malaysia.
3. (C) Polchief used the opportunity to highlight the
importance of Malaysia putting into place an adequate export
control regime and thus ensuring compliance with UN sanctions
and NPT obligations. All countries need to mitigate against
the risk of others misusing their territory and harming their
international reputation through such acts. Lack of an
export control regime also could harm a country's longer term
commercial interests. Polchief asked if Malaysia had
submitted its required UNSCR 1737 report. Wan Yusri said he
did not know whether Malaysia had submitted its report to the
UN. He noted that Malaysia's rapidly expanding trade with
Iran was a fact "that could not be denied." In light of
this, the Malaysian government wished to ensure that
Malaysian entities do not inadvertently violate UN sanctions.
The vague wording of some of the UNSC sanctions made
judgments more difficult. On several occasions, Malaysian
banks had delayed credit decisions for Malaysian companies
proposing new ventures in or with Iran because of ambiguity
over the UNSC sanctions. Malaysian agencies, including the
Finance Ministry, the Ministry for International Trade and
Industry, and the Central Bank, had met periodically to
discuss this issue. Relevant agencies were drafting a
briefing paper to present to the Cabinet on the subject of
sanctions against Iran and Malaysian commercial activities.
KEITH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN, EAP AND EAP/MTS
NSC FOR RENEE PAN AND L.PHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2022
TAGS: PARM PREL KNNP MNUC IR MY
SUBJECT: IRAN DEMARCHE DELIVERED; SENIOR IRAN ENVOY LOBBIES
MALAYSIA; GOM WEIGHING APPROACH TO UNSC SANCTIONS
REF: STATE 162558
Classified By: Political Section Chief Mark D. Clark reasons 1.4 (b and
d).
1. (C) Polchief on December 4 delivered reftel demarche
regarding the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran's
nuclear program to Wan Yusri, Principal Assistant Secretary
in the Multilateral Political Division of Malaysia's Foreign
Ministry. Yusri thanked polchief for the timely information
and the clarification of the U.S. position. The media
reports of the NIE had attracted the immediate attention of
senior Foreign Ministry officials who wanted to know the
impact of this on U.S. views of further UN Security Council
sanctions against Iran. Polchief emphasized that if Iran
continues to disregard the legitimate concerns of the
international community, the U.S. would continue to work with
the international community to put in place effective
measures to persuade Iran to meet its nonproliferation
obligations.
2. (C) Wan Yusri added that coincidentally Iranian envoy
Javad Zarif, Senior Assistant to the Iranian Foreign
Minister, had called on the Foreign Ministry earlier on
December 4. Javad Zarif met with Malaysian Foreign Minister
Syed Hamid Albar and primarily discussed issues related to
Iran's "nuclear program," in addition to some bilateral
matters. Wan Yusri would not elaborate further on Javad
Zarif's discussions or mission in Malaysia.
3. (C) Polchief used the opportunity to highlight the
importance of Malaysia putting into place an adequate export
control regime and thus ensuring compliance with UN sanctions
and NPT obligations. All countries need to mitigate against
the risk of others misusing their territory and harming their
international reputation through such acts. Lack of an
export control regime also could harm a country's longer term
commercial interests. Polchief asked if Malaysia had
submitted its required UNSCR 1737 report. Wan Yusri said he
did not know whether Malaysia had submitted its report to the
UN. He noted that Malaysia's rapidly expanding trade with
Iran was a fact "that could not be denied." In light of
this, the Malaysian government wished to ensure that
Malaysian entities do not inadvertently violate UN sanctions.
The vague wording of some of the UNSC sanctions made
judgments more difficult. On several occasions, Malaysian
banks had delayed credit decisions for Malaysian companies
proposing new ventures in or with Iran because of ambiguity
over the UNSC sanctions. Malaysian agencies, including the
Finance Ministry, the Ministry for International Trade and
Industry, and the Central Bank, had met periodically to
discuss this issue. Relevant agencies were drafting a
briefing paper to present to the Cabinet on the subject of
sanctions against Iran and Malaysian commercial activities.
KEITH