CANADA ON MID-NOVEMBER IAEA REPORT ON IRANIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 002034 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2017 TAGS: PARM KNNP IAEA IR CA SUBJECT: CANADA ON MID-NOVEMBER IAEA REPORT ON IRANIAN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORK PLAN REF: STATE 151038 Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request -- see para para 5. ¶2. (C) In response to reftel demarche, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Senior Nuclear Non-Proliferation Adviser Che van Haastrecht on November 5 expressed appreciation for our text outlining how the P5 Plus 1 would define "positive progress." He underscored that Canada was in synch with the U.S. on the issue and agreed on the need for unity to keep Iran's "feet to the fire." ¶3. (C) Van Haastrecht noted that Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister and Political Director Colleen Swords was now en route to Vienna to meet with IAEA DG ElBaradei. DFAIT officials expect that ElBaradei will probably tell her that Iran had been "cooperating sufficiently," but Swords plans to register Canada's concern about Iran to ElBaradei and to the Secretariat. DFAIT officials expect EU High Representative SIPDIS Solana, however, to deliver a more negative assessment, citing that "Iran was doing nothing positive about enrichment." ¶4. (C/NF) Van Haastrecht added that DFAIT Deputy Minister Len Edwards will separately be in China November 12 - 20, and plans to convey to Chinese officials a China-specific version of the points Swords took to Vienna on Iran. ¶5. (C/NF) Action request: Van Haastrecht noted that Prime Minister Harper will meet November 29 with Russian Prime Minister Zubkov. He said that he would appreciate an update on U.S. thinking on the Iranian non-proliferation threat during the week of November 19 to enable him to revise the talking points for this meeting. Embassy believes this is an outstanding opportunity to influence the nonproliferation element of PM Harper's conversation with his Russian counterpart. Please advise. Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap WILKINS