IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BERLIN 001276

SIPDIS, P, T, EUR/FO, EUR/CE, EUR/CARC, NEA/FO, NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2018
TAGS: PREL IR GM
SUBJECT: IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI VISIT

BERLIN 00001276 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Jeffrey Rathke
for reasons 1.4(b)/(d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
met on September 15 in Berlin with Iranian Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki. The meeting, which took place at
Mottaki's request, was only announced that morning, but
reportedly was in the works since September 11 at the latest.
The Chancellery did not welcome the visit, noting that the
image of the German FM welcoming a senior Iranian official to
Berlin was not constructive at this point in time.
Chancellery officials declined to meet with Mottaki; it is
not clear whether Chancellor Merkel herself was informed of
the visit or whether she discussed it with Steinmeier.
Mottaki focused mainly on regional stability in the Caucasus.
Steinmeier reportedly called on Iran to make a concrete,
constructive response to the P5 1 incentive package and
freeze-for-freeze proposal or face new measures. End summary.


2. (C) CHANCELLERY REFUSED MOTTAKI'S MEETING REQUEST,
CRITICAL OF MFA DECISION: Chancellery
senior-director-equivalent Geza von Geyr told the DCM that
the Chancellery was aware of the visit. Von Geyr said that
the Chancellery had refused Mottaki's request for a meeting.
He underscored that Mottaki had chosen Berlin as the only
Western European capital to visit and indicated that he
believed the Iranians had purposely sought out FM Steinmeier
as an interlocutor. He added that the Chancellery did not
consider the meeting helpful to current efforts and that the
image of Steinmeier meeting with Mottaki is not constructive.
(Comment: It is not clear whether Chancellor Merkel was
aware of the decision or whether she discussed it with
Steinmeier. End comment.) .

3. (C) MFA JUSTIFIES MEETING AS A MEANS TO MAINTAIN DIALOGUE:
MFA Office Director-equivalent for Middle East Affairs
Sabine Sparwasser told Pol MC (joined by French and British
Embassy representatives) that Mottaki had requested the
meeting on short notice, seeking to meet with Steinmeier
before the UNGA. When pressed by Pol MC to explain how
agreeing to meet with the Iranians served to maintain
international pressure, in advance of UNGA leaders week,
Sparwasser answered that Germany found it important to
maintain channels of dialogue with the Iranians as a means to
deliver the international message to them directly and firmly
. She noted that Mottaki had traveled directly to Berlin
from Tehran and back with no additional destinations. When
pressed by a French diplomat as to why the Iranians had
chosen Berlin rather than Paris or Brussels, Sparwasser
answered that the Iranians consistently emphasize Germany and
Iran's history of good relations.


4. (C) CAUCASUS: ISRAEL, INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE TO BLAME,
IRAN READY TO BE REGIONAL DEALBROKER: According to
Sparwasser, Mottaki spent the majority of the 60-minute
discussion between the 6-person delegations reviewing the
situation in the Caucasus, expressing Iranian concern while
also laying blame at the feet of "Israeli actors", as well as
"international influences" that had encouraged Georgia to
act, leading to a "massive miscalculation" by the Georgian
government. Mottaki claimed that during his visit to Moscow
on September 14, the Russians had suggested that Iran take a
stronger role in encouraging regional cooperation. Mottaki
emphasized Iran's regional leadership role and emphasized its
particular interest in improving relations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia. Steinmeier reviewed Germany's views of the
Caucasus situation, stressing that the EU's job is to
transform a fragile ceasefire into permanent peace for the
region. He noted that regional neighbors need to help the
situation, and inquired as to whether Iran had been in
discussions with Turkey; Mottaki indicated not. Sparwasser
added that Mottaki was particularly interested in learning
German views of the prospect of Georgia joining NATO.


5. (C) MOTTAKI BEMOANS STATE OF BILATERAL RELATIONS;
STEINMEIER PRESSES FOR FREEZE-FOR-FREEZE RESPONSE:
According to Sparwasser, Mottaki reviewed at length the
history of German-Iranian relations and expressed concern
that relations, particularly on the economic front, needed to
be expanded. He noted that there is much Iranian interest in
European trade and investment, but that Asia remains a strong
alternative. Sparwasser said that Steinmeier told Mottaki
that Iran must first fulfill the precondition of solving the
nuclear question before bilateral relations could fulfill
their potential. He emphasized that Germany had worked hard

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to convince all six P5 1 members to sign an offer that was
very generous to the Iranian government and the Iranian
people; the P5 1 had worked very hard, now it is up to Iran
to respond.


6. (C) Sparwasser provided a brief readout from Steinmeier's
30-minute one-on-one discussion with Mottaki. Steinmeier
reportedly expressed disappointment in the latest IAEA report
and called on Iran to cooperate, provide the requested
information, and establish confidence. He called on Iran to
either reply constructively to the incentive package or else
face the fact that new measures would be taken against Iran.
In regards to the freeze-for-freeze offer, he called on Iran
to respond concretely. Mottaki reportedly asked for more
details on the P5 1's freeze-for-freeze offer; MFA officials
noted that Germany has explained the freeze-for-freeze
proposal to Iranian officials (including chief nuclear
negotiator Jalili and Supreme National Security Council
member Bagheri) in recent weeks. They speculated that
Mottaki either was not informed on this score, or that he
needed to hear things for himself.


KOENIG