ECUADOR DEMARCHE RESPONSE: IAEA DG'S NOV 15 REPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 002532 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2016 TAGS: KNNP MNUC IAEA IR PARM AORC EC SUBJECT: ECUADOR DEMARCHE RESPONSE: IAEA DG'S NOV 15 REPORT ON IRAN REF: STATE 157039 Classified By: Ambassador Linda Jewell for Reasons 1.4 (B&D) ¶1. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points on November 20, 2007, to Lourdes Puma, MFA Director General of Multilateral Affairs. ¶2. (C) Puma called Ecuador a strong proponent of disarmament and non-proliferation, as well as of the IAEA. She opined that Iran had made efforts to comply with the Work Plan, and that the IAEA still had more room to solve Iran's problems. Poloff pointed out that the DG's report shows that while Iran's cooperation had improved, it is still insufficient and that Iran had definitely not complied with the Work Plan -- that no access or info had been provide by Iran on its work with centrifuge designs, that Iran still had not provided access to equipment from the PHRC at Lavizan, and that Iran simply had not implemented the Additional Protocol. ¶3. (C) Referring to a document sent to the MFA by Ecuador's representative to the IAEA, Puma said that "Iran had made progress by supplying reports of materials showing no deviation of those materials and declaring some of their nuclear activities." She emphasized that Iran should comply with the obligations of the treaties they have signed, but that the IAEA should be given additional time to work with Iran before introducing new sanctions. Puma questioned whether the UN Security Council would be able to adopt new Chapter VII sanctions on Iran. Referring to the example of Lavizan, Poloff stressed that Iran had been given ample time and that additional extensions reduce the credibility of the IAEA and UNSC's commitment to the Work Plan. When asked how much additional time Ecuador would propose, Puma was unable to answer. ¶4. (C) Comment. As during previous demarches on Iran, Puma was cordial and forthcoming during the meeting, always communicating Ecuador's commitment to Iran's compliance and support of previous UNSC resolutions 1737 and 1747. This was the first indication that Ecuador does not want to support of use of additional sanctions with regards to Iran. We will continue to press this issue with Puma and more senior Foreign Ministry officials. End Comment. JEWELL