Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LJUBLJANA155
2007-03-15 14:12:00
SECRET
Embassy Ljubljana
Cable title:  

SLOVENIA SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS TO IRANIAN FM

Tags:  PREL KNNP PINR IR SI 
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TO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 LJUBLJANA 000155 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR SSADLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017
TAGS: PREL KNNP PINR IR SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS TO IRANIAN FM
ON NUCLEAR ISSUES


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 LJUBLJANA 000155

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/NCE FOR SSADLE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2017
TAGS: PREL KNNP PINR IR SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS TO IRANIAN FM
ON NUCLEAR ISSUES


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S) SUMMARY: Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
touched down in Ljubljana for a one day visit on March 14,
meeting with Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, Prime Minister
Janez Jansa, and President Janez Drnovsek for conversations
touching on bilateral issues but focusing on the Iranian
nuclear situation. Rupel, whose staff were eager for the
U.S. and the EU to "know everything" about the meetings, said
all the right things and "followed the EU line," pushing Iran
to stop enrichment, stating that the international community
has a lack of confidence in Iran's intentions, saying that
the will of the international community is spelled out in UN
Resolution 1737, and reaffirming the IAEA's decision to
suspend technical cooperation last week. Though it seems
unlikely that the Slovenes will play a large role in
resolution of the Iranian conflict, opportunities like their
Chairmanship of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Board of Governors and the upcoming EU Presidency may provide
opportunities to advance shared U.S./EU positions on Iran's
nuclear ambitions. An abbreviated report we received on
President Drnovsek's meeting with Mottaki indicates that the
Drnovsek, too, hewed to the EU line on Iran. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki received a
high level reception during a one day visit to Ljubljana on
March 14, conducting meetings with his counterpart, Foreign
Minister Dimitrij Rupel, as well as Slovenian Prime Minister
Janez Jansa and President Janez Drnovsek. The visit came
during Slovenia's Chairmanship of the IAEA Board of Governors
and as it prepares to join the EU Presidency Troika in July
and take over the EU Presidency in January 2008. The visit
followed a previous meeting between Iranian Ambassador to
Slovenia Seyed Mohsen Nabavi (based out of Vienna) and FM
Rupel on February 24, 2007 in Ljubljana, which focused on
bilateral issues and in which Nabavi extended an invitation
from Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki for Rupel to visit
Iran.



3. (S) The Slovenian MFA's Security Policy Department Chief
Stanislav Vidovic gave Charge a full readout of the March 14
meeting between Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and Iranian
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki the same day. Vidovic,
who stressed that "we need you and the EU to know
everything," gave a detailed point-by-point readout, saying
that the meeting focused on bilateral issues, intercultural
dialogue, and the nuclear situation. When Charge asked
Vidovic how the meeting came about, he replied that he had
only been asked to prepare the talking points and invited to
join the meeting and that the how and why of the visit were
not "need to know" for him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bilateral Issues: Expanding Economic Cooperation
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


4. (S) Vidovic indicated it was a standard meeting between
"friendly countries with good relations," with both sides
saying they need to establish more working level contacts and
find ways to further cooperation. Rupel suggested this could
come in transportation, specifically suggesting that Iran
might consider utilizing Slovenia's port in Koper. Mottaki
demurred on the port suggestion saying that Iran already has
an arrangement with the Netherlands, but was positive in
terms of expanding economic cooperation. He said that the
bulk of Iran's trade with the EU is with just a few countries
and said that Iran is focused on boosting exchange with the
Netherlands and Spain specifically.


5. (S) Rupel spoke about Slovenia's plans for making
"intercultural dialogue" a key component of its EU Presidency
in 2008. Both sides discussed current activities on this
topic and potential for collaboration with Mottaki mentioning
a previous Iranian effort (in partnership with Spain and
Turkey) at the United Nations.

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Nuclear Security: Slovenia Says Right Things, Iran Demurs

LJUBLJANA 00000155 002 OF 003


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6. (S) Vidovic said the bulk of the meeting, however, covered
the nuclear issue. Vidovic emphasized that Slovenia had "no
special agenda," that Rupel "followed the EU line" and that
he used points carefully prepared in cooperation with
Slovenia's Permanent Representative at the IAEA and
Ambassador in Vienna, Ambassador Ernest Petric.


7. (S) Rupel appears to have said all the right things,
pushing Iran to stop enrichment, bluntly stating that the
international community has a lack of confidence in Iran's
intentions with its nuclear program, saying that the will of
the international community is spelled out in UN Resolution
1737, and reaffirming the IAEA's decision to suspend
technical cooperation last week. While he told Mottaki that
Slovenia respected the right of all countries to nuclear
capabilities for peaceful purposes, he said that suspending
enrichment activities would be a prerequisite for building
confidence with the international community. Rupel
reiterated the Slovenian belief that the only possibility for
finding a solution to the issue is through dialogue and
negotiation with the P5 plus 1, saying that the key to
improving EU-Iranian relations is dialogue. Rupel told
Mottaki that Slovenia supports IAEA Director Mohamed
ElBaradei's "simultaneous time out" proposal.


8. (S) FM Mottaki gave the standard Iranian response, saying
that Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, that
Iran's energy needs (like Europe's) are growing, and that
Iran is against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and WMD.
On the last point, Mottaki cited Iran's decision not to use
chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war as proof of his
country's commitment not to use WMD in a conflict. Mottaki
divided Iran's nuclear activities into three pools: past,
present, and future. Regarding past activities, he said that
Iran was ready to cooperate with the international community
on any open questions. On current activities, Mottaki said
that they are under the supervision of IAEA inspectors and
are in accordance with international community norms. He
said that Iran is ready to give assurances to the
international community that all future nuclear activities
are for peaceful purposes and to be transparent.


9. (S) Mottaki said the "simultaneous time out" plan wasn't
proportional in terms of what each side would give up and
indicated that the offers must be balanced. He said that if
sanctions are lifted (not just suspended) and the Iran issue
is pulled from the UNSC, then Iran would be ready to
reimplement the additional protocol between Iran and the IAEA
for the application of safeguards. When Rupel asked if this
meant Iran would stop enrichment, Mottaki demurred, saying
that Iran has a right to proceed with nuclear activities for
peaceful uses. But, Mottaki said, it would establish a
bridge that could be built on, and then everything could be
on the table.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Meetings with the Prime Minister and President
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10. (U) Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was also
received by Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and
President Janez Drnovsek during his one day visit to
Ljubljana. Jansa's office released a press statement
following the meeting that largely followed the topics
covered in the ministerial level meeting, with a focus on
economic cooperation (particularly in the energy and
transportation sectors),stabilization of crisis centers in
the Middle East, and the nuclear issue. Regarding the later,
Jansa stated that the conflict can only be solved
diplomatically and emphasized the need to build trust through
open dialogue. Mottaki told press that a diplomatic solution
to the nuclear issues "was in reach" if the two sides agreed
to a balanced compromise to suspend procedures at the UN
Security Council on the one hand, and Iran's reimplementation
of the additional protocols to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty on the other. If those things happened, Mottaki felt

LJUBLJANA 00000155 003 OF 003


a solution could be achieved "within three to four weeks."
He also said that Iran's view is that all nuclear weapons
should be eliminated but that "we do not see strong political
will from key parties in the international community" for
this proposal.


11. (S) Mottaki's meeting with President Drnovsek, which
follows Drnovsek's March 6 meeting with IAEA Director General
Mohamed ElBaradei in Vienna regarding the Iranian nuclear
question, was scheduled for an hour but lasted an hour and a
half. Drnovsek's National Security Advisor Iztok Podbregar
gave Charge a brief readout of the meeting, saying that
Drnovsek did not stray from the EU line in the discussion of
nuclear issues. In his March 6 meeting, Drnovsek reportedly
talked with ElBaradei about his concern over developments
that could lead to military confrontation, and discussed
strategies to renew dialogue and prevent a confrontation.
President Drnovsek, who has championed Slovenian efforts to
resolve major world conflicts in the past (most prominently
in Darfur) is expected to discuss Iran during talks with
United Nations Secretary General Ban March 21, during an
eight day visit to the United States.

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Background: Slovenia-Iran Bilateral Relationship
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12. (U) Slovenian-Iranian bilateral activities are present
but relatively limited. The GOS currently has an Embassy in
Tehran headed by Charge d'Affaires Matjaz Puc and
Vienna-based Iranian Ambassador Seyed Mohsen Nabavi is
accredited to Slovenia. Slovenian exports to Iran in the
first half of 2006 totaled Euro 21 million, while imports
from Iran for the same period totaled Euro 1.3 million.
Total trade between the two countries in 2005 totaled Euro
41.3 million.

- - - -
Comment
- - - -


13. (S) Slovenia's position at the IAEA and its' upcoming EU
Presidency mean that Slovenia is positioned to play a larger
role in major international issues. It is not surprising
that Slovenian leadership, with their Yugoslav tradition of
nonalignment, are both comfortable meeting with
representatives from Iran and see their own potential to help
bridge conflicts between east and west. Though it seems
unlikely that the Slovenes will play a large role in
resolution of the Iranian conflict, opportunities like these
show an increasing willingness to "think big" about
Slovenia's role in global affairs. While most public
statements, including that from Jansa, use cautious,
diplomatic language, it is clear that Rupel and Jansa are
fully on board with EU and U.S. efforts to resolve the
situation. Post will follow up to determine if the MFA has
further plans for a reciprocal visit to Iran.
COLEMAN