Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BERLIN323
2008-03-13 16:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:
IRAN: MFA ON MAJLES ELECTION STATEMENT,
how-toVZCZCXRO4167 OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHRL #0323 0731623 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131623Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0684 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000323
SIPDIS
SIPDIS, NEA/IR, EUR/AGS, DRL FOR LURIE, LONDON FOR GAYLE,
PARIS FOR JORDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM IR GM
SUBJECT: IRAN: MFA ON MAJLES ELECTION STATEMENT,
CONTROVERSY OVER GERMAN AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH REFORMIST
REF: STATE 25587
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Jeffrey Rathke
for reasons 1.4(b)/(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000323
SIPDIS
SIPDIS, NEA/IR, EUR/AGS, DRL FOR LURIE, LONDON FOR GAYLE,
PARIS FOR JORDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM IR GM
SUBJECT: IRAN: MFA ON MAJLES ELECTION STATEMENT,
CONTROVERSY OVER GERMAN AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH REFORMIST
REF: STATE 25587
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Jeffrey Rathke
for reasons 1.4(b)/(d)
1. (C) POLOFF (Iran-watcher) shared reftel talking points
and the draft USG statement on the March 14 Iranian
parliamentary election with MFA Iran Desk Officer Deike
Potzel on March 12. Potzel recommended that the statement
should frame the Iranian election in terms of international
standards, thus avoiding Iranian regime accusations of
foreign "double standards" and bias towards Iran. She also
cautioned against using statistics as the number of
disqualifications reported have varied wildly.
2. (C) Potzel said that the E.U. is currently discussing the
contents of a public statement that would follow the
election. The UK has submitted an informal draft statement
for discussion and the French have already offered remarks on
the draft, she said. Slovenia, in its EU Presidency role, is
considering releasing a first statement on Monday, focusing
on the flaws of the electoral process. A more high-profile
statement, potentially a formal declaration or European
Council statement, would follow once the final results have
been announced.
3. (C) Potzel also commented on recent international press
coverage of the meeting between Germany's ambassador to
Tehran and key Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF) figure
Mohammad Reza Khatami. According to press reports, a number
of hard-line and conservative politicians and media
criticized German Ambassador Herbert Honsowitz's meeting as
"breaking a taboo" and a signal of "foreign support" for the
reformers. Potzel noted that Khatami had requested the
meeting and that it was held at IIPF's office in a "very open
manner" and during the daytime. She said that Honsowitz had
sought pre-election meetings with figures from across the
Iranian political spectrum, including with radicals and
conservatives. She added that since the controversy erupted,
conservatives have been canceling their scheduled
appointments. Contrary to press reports that Khatami had
expressed concerns about the Iranian nuclear program, Potzel
said Khatami's statements were "very much in line" with the
official Iranian stance.
TIMKEN JR
SIPDIS
SIPDIS, NEA/IR, EUR/AGS, DRL FOR LURIE, LONDON FOR GAYLE,
PARIS FOR JORDAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM IR GM
SUBJECT: IRAN: MFA ON MAJLES ELECTION STATEMENT,
CONTROVERSY OVER GERMAN AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH REFORMIST
REF: STATE 25587
Classified By: Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Jeffrey Rathke
for reasons 1.4(b)/(d)
1. (C) POLOFF (Iran-watcher) shared reftel talking points
and the draft USG statement on the March 14 Iranian
parliamentary election with MFA Iran Desk Officer Deike
Potzel on March 12. Potzel recommended that the statement
should frame the Iranian election in terms of international
standards, thus avoiding Iranian regime accusations of
foreign "double standards" and bias towards Iran. She also
cautioned against using statistics as the number of
disqualifications reported have varied wildly.
2. (C) Potzel said that the E.U. is currently discussing the
contents of a public statement that would follow the
election. The UK has submitted an informal draft statement
for discussion and the French have already offered remarks on
the draft, she said. Slovenia, in its EU Presidency role, is
considering releasing a first statement on Monday, focusing
on the flaws of the electoral process. A more high-profile
statement, potentially a formal declaration or European
Council statement, would follow once the final results have
been announced.
3. (C) Potzel also commented on recent international press
coverage of the meeting between Germany's ambassador to
Tehran and key Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF) figure
Mohammad Reza Khatami. According to press reports, a number
of hard-line and conservative politicians and media
criticized German Ambassador Herbert Honsowitz's meeting as
"breaking a taboo" and a signal of "foreign support" for the
reformers. Potzel noted that Khatami had requested the
meeting and that it was held at IIPF's office in a "very open
manner" and during the daytime. She said that Honsowitz had
sought pre-election meetings with figures from across the
Iranian political spectrum, including with radicals and
conservatives. She added that since the controversy erupted,
conservatives have been canceling their scheduled
appointments. Contrary to press reports that Khatami had
expressed concerns about the Iranian nuclear program, Potzel
said Khatami's statements were "very much in line" with the
official Iranian stance.
TIMKEN JR