IRAN DEMARCHE TO EU MEMBER STATES AHEAD OF OCTOBER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 003924

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IR XF EUN UK
SUBJECT: IRAN DEMARCHE TO EU MEMBER STATES AHEAD OF OCTOBER
15-16 FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING (GAERC): UK REPLY

REF: STATE 143223

Classified By: PolMinCouns Maura Connelly, Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C/NF) Summary: London Iran Watcher (Poloff) delivered
reftel nonpaper to FCO Iran Multilateral team leader Will
Gelling, who said that at the GAERC HMG will be focused on
autonomous sanctions only, and is confident the EU will
quickly endorse this aim. Gelling added that HMG opposes
trying to also obtain an explicit GAERC endorsement of a
third UNSC resolution. End summary.


2. (C/NF) Gelling provided a draft document (for text see
paragraph 4 below) which he said had been agreed upon by all
EU governments as the basis for the October 15-16 ministerial
discussion. Gelling said he was the actual drafter of the
document but will not himself be at the GAERC.


3. (C/NF) Reviewing the USG non-paper, Gelling said HMG,s
focus, like USG, will be on having the EU endorse the concept
of autonomous sanctions (i.e., outside the UN framework),and
said HMG is "confident" the EU will do so at next week,s
GAERC. Gelling said HMG expects the only significant
resistance to an endorsement of autonomous sanctions would
come from Austria, which, according to Gelling, wants any EU
measure to follow a third UNSCR. Gelling said HMG believes
Austria is unlikely to resist for long "when it finds itself
in a minority of one." Gelling said the Foreign Secretary
will push back against any Austrian or other resistance by
arguing that making EU action depend on a prior UNSCR would
hold EU foreign policy "hostage to Russia."


4. (C/NF) Gelling noted pointedly that HMG disagrees with
USG (point 1 in reftel non-paper,s last bullet) that the
objectives at the GAERC should include an EU statement
endorsing a third UNSCR. Gelling said an insistence on such
an endorsement would be counterproductive, by serving to
broaden debate to a general discussion on Iran which may or
may not produce consensus on autonomous sanctions and would
in any case encourage Iran by the length and heat of the
likely debate. Gelling said HMG is aiming for, and
confidently expects, a short, quick, "surgically precise" EU
debate on, and vote for, the concept of autonomous sanctions.


5. (U) (begin text of FCO's GAERC discussion document)

Draft Council Conclusions on Iran (GAERC, 15-16 October 2007)

-- The Council discussed the situation concerning Iran's
nuclear programme. The Council reaffirmed its support for
efforts to find a negotiated long-term solution to the
Iranian nuclear issue. The Council gave its full backing to
the efforts of the High Representative on behalf of the EU
and the international community to encourage Iran to return
to talks on long-term arrangements.

-- The Council underlined its continuing commitment to the
comprehensive package proposed to Iran in June 2006. This
package, among many elements, reaffirmed Iran's right to
develop nuclear energy in conformity with its obligations
under the NPT and included active support to build new Light
Water Power Reactors using state of the art technology. Iran
still has the option to re-enter negotiations on that basis,
in line with the double track approach.

-- The Council welcomed the agreement between Iran and the
IAEA to resolve all questions concerning Iran's past nuclear
activities and noted that full and timely implementation by
Iran of the IAEA work plan, as interpreted by the Director
General's report, would constitute a significant step
forward. As stated in the IAEA Director General's report,
confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's
nuclear programme requires that the Agency be able to provide
assurances regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear
material and activities, through the implementation of the
Additional Protocol and required transparency measures. The
Council urged Iran to fully implement the provisions of the
Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement, including its subsidiary
arrangements, implement the Additional Protocol pending its
ratification, and to provide the Agency all information and
co-operation requested. Moreover, the Council expressed its
hope that the Director General of the IAEA would be able to
show, in his report in November, a positive outcome of his
efforts in line with the requirements of the workplan agreed
with Iran.

-- The Council regretted that Iran had not complied with the
unanimous call of the international community to suspend all
enrichment-related activity and had not accepted the offer of
negotiation. The Council reaffirmed its support for Security

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Council Resolutions 1696, 1737 and 1747 and underlined that
the Security Council had expressed its intention in
Resolutions 1737 and 1747 to adopt further appropriate
measures under Article 41, Chapter VII of the UN Charter
should Iran further fail to suspend its enrichment
activities. The council welcomed the 28 September statement
by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, the United
Kingdom, China, Russia and the United States with the support
of the High Representative of the European Union. The
Council agreed that the EU will consider what additional
measures it might take in order to support the UN process and
the shared objectives of the international community, and
invited the relevant Council bodies to provide timely advice.
(end text)

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