SLOVENIA SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS TO IRANIAN FM

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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nuclear Security: Slovenia Says Right Things, Iran Demurs LJUBLJANA 00000155 002 OF 003 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Background: Slovenia-Iran Bilateral Relationship - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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