MOROCCAN AMBASSADOR DOES NOT ATTEND NATANZ CEREMONY

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 000613 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, IO AND ISN/RA - RICHARD NEPHEW E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2017 TAGS: KNNP IAEA PARM MNUC TRGY AORC UNSC IR MO SUBJECT: MOROCCAN AMBASSADOR DOES NOT ATTEND NATANZ CEREMONY REF: STATE 45884 Classified By: Polcouns Craig M. Karp for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On April 9, poloff conveyed reftel demarche, which was received only shortly before the event, to Azzedine Farhane, Chief of the MFA's United Nations Division. Poloff urged Morocco not to participate in the ceremony inaugurating the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant scheduled for later in the day. Farhane noted the US position and pledged to pass reftel information to the Minister and the Moroccan Embassy in Tehran. ¶2. (C) After consulting with the Moroccan Embassy in Tehran, Farhane later confirmed that the Moroccan Ambassador did not attend the ceremony . Farhane said that out of solidarity with the overall U.S. position and as a responsible member of the IAEA Board of Governors, Morocco decided to instruct its Ambassador in Tehran not to participate. ****************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat ****************************************** RILEY