Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VIENNA181
2007-01-25 13:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
HALTING EXPORT CREDITS TO IRAN: AUSTRIAN MFA VIEWS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHVI #0181 0251339 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 251339Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6068 INFO RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0301 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0130 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA PRIORITY 1467 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0244 RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY 0017
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000181
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF, EB/IFD/OMA, NEA/IR, IO/T, EUR/AGS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: PREL EFIN MNUC EXIM UNSC OECD IR AU
SUBJECT: HALTING EXPORT CREDITS TO IRAN: AUSTRIAN MFA VIEWS
REF: STATE 4760
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Scott F. Kilner. Reasons: 1.4 (b) an
d (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000181
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF, EB/IFD/OMA, NEA/IR, IO/T, EUR/AGS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: PREL EFIN MNUC EXIM UNSC OECD IR AU
SUBJECT: HALTING EXPORT CREDITS TO IRAN: AUSTRIAN MFA VIEWS
REF: STATE 4760
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Scott F. Kilner. Reasons: 1.4 (b) an
d (d)
1. (SBU) Charge delivered reftel demarche on January 24 to
Thomas Mayr-Harting, the Austrian MFA's Political Director.
2. (C) Mayr-Harting began his response by expressing
appreciation for the United States' willingness to find a
compromise that had ensured the adoption of UNSCR 1737.
There was a strong view in the EU that Iran should "feel the
opprobrium" of the entire international community -- not just
the West -- and it was therefore important to maintain the
consensus that UNSCR 1737 represented. In Brussels,
therefore, EU Foreign Ministers agreed that EU implementing
legislation would incorporate -- but not expand upon -- the
measures that appear in the resolution. That said, the EU
would maintain existing legislation that was more precise
than the language of UNSCR 1737. The EU measures focussed on
the nuclear sector, and not on economic cooperation as such,
Mayr-Harting said.
3. (C) Charge argued that export credits supported the
programs -- governmental and private -- that fueled Iran's
ability to pursue a nuclear program. He pointed out that the
elimination of export credits would certainly not contravene
UNSCR 1737 -- to the contrary, this step would be very much
in the spirit of the resolution.
4. (C) Mayr-Harting expressed concern that a move to halt
export credits from the West would only "turn the Iranian
energy sector over to the Russians and Chinese." Pressure on
Iran's nuclear program was only having an effect because
Russia and China were on board. This would not be the case
if we undertook measures beyond those that reflected
consensus in the UN context. Charge disagreed with
Mayr-Harting's analysis, and pointed out that halting export
credits would show the Iranian government that there was a
real economic cost to moving forward with the nuclear program.
5. (C) Mayr-Harting recalled that the EU agreed that there
should be a ban on arms sales to Iran, and agreed on a travel
ban. He said that Austria had pursued a firm line on Iran
during Austria's EU presidency -- to the point that Iran
complained about Austria's stance. There was full agreement
within the EU on applying UNSCR 1737.
6. (C) Charge will pursue the discussion of export credits
with other elements of the Austrian government.
Kilner
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/IFD/ODF, EB/IFD/OMA, NEA/IR, IO/T, EUR/AGS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2017
TAGS: PREL EFIN MNUC EXIM UNSC OECD IR AU
SUBJECT: HALTING EXPORT CREDITS TO IRAN: AUSTRIAN MFA VIEWS
REF: STATE 4760
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Scott F. Kilner. Reasons: 1.4 (b) an
d (d)
1. (SBU) Charge delivered reftel demarche on January 24 to
Thomas Mayr-Harting, the Austrian MFA's Political Director.
2. (C) Mayr-Harting began his response by expressing
appreciation for the United States' willingness to find a
compromise that had ensured the adoption of UNSCR 1737.
There was a strong view in the EU that Iran should "feel the
opprobrium" of the entire international community -- not just
the West -- and it was therefore important to maintain the
consensus that UNSCR 1737 represented. In Brussels,
therefore, EU Foreign Ministers agreed that EU implementing
legislation would incorporate -- but not expand upon -- the
measures that appear in the resolution. That said, the EU
would maintain existing legislation that was more precise
than the language of UNSCR 1737. The EU measures focussed on
the nuclear sector, and not on economic cooperation as such,
Mayr-Harting said.
3. (C) Charge argued that export credits supported the
programs -- governmental and private -- that fueled Iran's
ability to pursue a nuclear program. He pointed out that the
elimination of export credits would certainly not contravene
UNSCR 1737 -- to the contrary, this step would be very much
in the spirit of the resolution.
4. (C) Mayr-Harting expressed concern that a move to halt
export credits from the West would only "turn the Iranian
energy sector over to the Russians and Chinese." Pressure on
Iran's nuclear program was only having an effect because
Russia and China were on board. This would not be the case
if we undertook measures beyond those that reflected
consensus in the UN context. Charge disagreed with
Mayr-Harting's analysis, and pointed out that halting export
credits would show the Iranian government that there was a
real economic cost to moving forward with the nuclear program.
5. (C) Mayr-Harting recalled that the EU agreed that there
should be a ban on arms sales to Iran, and agreed on a travel
ban. He said that Austria had pursued a firm line on Iran
during Austria's EU presidency -- to the point that Iran
complained about Austria's stance. There was full agreement
within the EU on applying UNSCR 1737.
6. (C) Charge will pursue the discussion of export credits
with other elements of the Austrian government.
Kilner