IRAN NUCLEAR ISSUE: UK FEEDBACK ON SOLANA-LARIJANI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 002457 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL EU IR IZ UK SUBJECT: IRAN NUCLEAR ISSUE: UK FEEDBACK ON SOLANA-LARIJANI IN LISBON; RUSSIAN VIEWS, Classified By: Political Counselor Rick Mills for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. Summary (CO) EU's Solana saw no movement during June 23 talks with Larijani on suspension and rebuffed Larijani's suggestion to link next steps on the nuclear issue in any way to the upcoming visit to Iran by IAEA chief El Baradei, according to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The UK assesses current Iranian hints of possible alternative solutions on the nuclear issue as standard attempts to distract the international community as a third UNSC resolution looms. Russia's Kislyak reportedly has agreed, reluctantly, that it is time to begin discussion of a new UNSCR, but that there is no need for haste and that Bushehr is off the table. FCO is trying right now to fit both a Political Directors' conference call and a sanctions advocacy trip to Paris into its work week. End summary. Larijani Readout -------------- ¶2. (CO) During EU Foreign Policy Chief Solana's June 23 meeting in Lisbon with Larijani, Solana sharply disagreed with Larijani's proposal that both sides halt all consideration of the nuclear issue until after IAEA Director General El Baradei's visit to Iran, according to a readout from Brussels passed to Poloff June 26 by FCO Iran Team Leader Will Gelling. Solana reportedly told Larijani that merely resuming cooperation on outstanding issues would not be enough to stop the sanctions process, an assertion with which HMG told the EU it strongly agrees. The EU told FCO there was no apparent give from Larijani on suspension or "freeze for freeze." ¶3. (CO) Solana, reportedly exhausted from just-concluded negotiations on an EU Constitution, was reportedly brusque with Larijani, and told him that he (Solana) would not meet with Larijani again for two to three weeks, in order to give Iran an opportunity "to resolve its outstanding issues" with the IAEA. Solana reportedly added there should likewise be no meeting with Larijani's deputy Javad Vaidi, whom Solana said would be needed in Tehran for the next several weeks to help advance an Iranian resolution of its "outstanding issues" (Embassy Comment: Reuters reported Solana said he expected to meet again with Larijani in three weeks. End comment). Gelling told Poloff the sense of one EU participant in the Lisbon discussions was that Larijani is very interested in negotiations but not in taking the steps needed to get to negotiations. ¶4. (CO) Gelling told Poloff it is HMG's assessment, "contrary to current speculation" (Embassy Comment: Apparently, speculation on the part of the EU. End comment), that Iran is in fact not seriously considering "coming clean" any time soon with the international community on its nuclear program. Gelling argued that any signals in this regard that the IRI is sending out are deliberate attempts, similar to ones the IRI employed before previous UNSC resolutions on Iran, to divert international attention. Gelling had agreed with his EU colelague, however, that if Iran, against expectations, does somehow "come clean" (i.e., acknowledges its history of nuclear deception),such a step might change P5 plus 1 dynamics, and that this might offer a way into substantive negotiations. Russian reaction to Lisbon Talks -------------- ¶5. (CO) Gelling also passed on Kislyak's reactions to the Lisbon talks from Moscow, where UK PolDir Mark Lyall Grant is now visiting. Kislyak reportedly agreed, reluctantly, that it is now time to discuss the next UNSCR, but added Russia would not put forward any ideas of its own; Kislyak added he sees "no need for haste," and is firm that interrupting Bushehr-related activity is "not an option." UK "Bucking Up" Paris and Berlin -------------- ¶6. (CO) Gelling said FCO Iran Coordinator Antony Philippson will travel to Paris June 28 with a view to "bucking up" the Germans and French on the need for stiff, meaningful sanctions in the next UNSCR. Philippson is trying to balance this trip against the need to be in London for a P5 plus 1 Political Directors' conference call late in the week and also against the reported unavailability on June 29 of Under Secretary Burns for such a call. SIPDIS LONDON 00002457 002 OF 002 ¶7. (CO) Finally, Gelling noted HMG will take the USG elements paper, sent to FCO June 19, as having subsumed HMG's nonpaper shared June 14, and as forming the basis for PolDirs' conference call later this week. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm TUTTLE