NIE FEEDBACK: BOLIVIA ON IRAN"S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

S E C R E T LA PAZ 003197 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2022 TAGS: KNNP MNUC IR PARM PREL BL SUBJECT: NIE FEEDBACK: BOLIVIA ON IRAN"S NUCLEAR PROGRAM REF: A. SECSTATE 162558 ¶B. LA PAZ 2626 Classified By: A/DCM Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) (S) 1. Charge met with Deputy Foreign Minister Hugo Fernandez December 5 and conveyed reftel points. Although he said "we have an alliance" with Iran, Fernandez adamantly stressed the Bolivian government's relationship with Iran did not include a military and certainly not a nuclear component. The Vice Foreign Minister said that although Bolivia supported development of Iran's peaceful nuclear development, Iran should abide by IAEA safeguards. Fernandez replied to reftel request for a public statement by citing the September 27 agreement formalizing Bolivian-Iranian relations: "When we started our alliance with Iran, we made it clear it did not include military or non-peaceful nuclear development." (Note the September 27 agreement establishing formal Bolivian/Iranian relations asserts the right of "peaceful development" of energy to all countries, but "not in the use of arms." Reftel B. End Note.) (S) 2. Fernandez stressed Bolivia's intentions to work with Iran on hydrocarbon sector development and technology exchanges. He explained Bolivia needed to look for alternative partners to develop its natural gas potential out of fears foreign companies would balk at Bolivian government efforts to assert more national control over the hydrocarbons sector. URS