Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BERN479
2008-09-22 14:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bern
Cable title:
IAEA: PREPARING FOR GC VOTE ON MESA GROUP SEAT ON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHSW #0479 2661404 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 221404Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY BERN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5326 INFO RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0068 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2861 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0217
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 000479
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR ISN/RA (R.NEPHEW/J.DANIEL),IO/T (H.VONBEHREN),
EUR/PRA, AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018
TAGS: IAEA PARM MNUC SZ
SUBJECT: IAEA: PREPARING FOR GC VOTE ON MESA GROUP SEAT ON
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
REF: STATE 99745
Classified By: DCM Leigh G. Carter; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 000479
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR ISN/RA (R.NEPHEW/J.DANIEL),IO/T (H.VONBEHREN),
EUR/PRA, AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018
TAGS: IAEA PARM MNUC SZ
SUBJECT: IAEA: PREPARING FOR GC VOTE ON MESA GROUP SEAT ON
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
REF: STATE 99745
Classified By: DCM Leigh G. Carter; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (U) DCM delivered the message in reftel on September 22 to
Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, Head of the MFA Political
Secretariat for International Security Affairs. Pitteloud
was joined in the meeting by Jean-Daniel Praz, Acting Head of
the MFA Section for Arms Control and Disarmament; poloff
accompanied DCM.
2. (C) Pitteloud took onboard the USG's message with regard
to the candidates for the Middle East and South Asia (MESA)
Group Seat on the IAEA Board of Governors (BOG). He
underlined that Iran was "a no-go", and certainly would not
have Swiss support for a seat on the BOG. Regarding a Swiss
national statement on Iran during the BOG, Pitteloud said
that the GOS will deliver as "stern message." He remarked
that he had the sense that the "window of opportunity" for
the Iran/nuclear problem to be resolved via the IAEA is
closing fast. Pitteloud said that the Iranians are
"prevaricating over what 'freeze-for-freeze' means." He
indicated that the Swiss government will press Iran to accept
the P5-plus-1 offer and to respond fully to IAEA questions
regarding alleged weaponization studies.
3. (C) Commenting that it would be "illogical" for
Switzerland to vote for a BOG candidate that is under IAEA
investigation, Pitteloud said that he believed that the
argument against a Syrian BOG candidacy would be strongest if
the case of Syria were a formal item on the IAEA BOG agenda.
He asked whether the USG or others had plans to try to place
the Syrian case formally on the BOG agenda. Terming a Syrian
candidacy also "probably a no-go" for Switzerland, Pitteloud
said that it would be useful to have more information about
what actually had taken place at Al-Kibar. In that context,
he commented that the IAEA Secretariat's upcoming report to
the BOG could be useful.
CARTER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR ISN/RA (R.NEPHEW/J.DANIEL),IO/T (H.VONBEHREN),
EUR/PRA, AND EUR/AGS (Y.SAINT-ANDRE)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018
TAGS: IAEA PARM MNUC SZ
SUBJECT: IAEA: PREPARING FOR GC VOTE ON MESA GROUP SEAT ON
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
REF: STATE 99745
Classified By: DCM Leigh G. Carter; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (U) DCM delivered the message in reftel on September 22 to
Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, Head of the MFA Political
Secretariat for International Security Affairs. Pitteloud
was joined in the meeting by Jean-Daniel Praz, Acting Head of
the MFA Section for Arms Control and Disarmament; poloff
accompanied DCM.
2. (C) Pitteloud took onboard the USG's message with regard
to the candidates for the Middle East and South Asia (MESA)
Group Seat on the IAEA Board of Governors (BOG). He
underlined that Iran was "a no-go", and certainly would not
have Swiss support for a seat on the BOG. Regarding a Swiss
national statement on Iran during the BOG, Pitteloud said
that the GOS will deliver as "stern message." He remarked
that he had the sense that the "window of opportunity" for
the Iran/nuclear problem to be resolved via the IAEA is
closing fast. Pitteloud said that the Iranians are
"prevaricating over what 'freeze-for-freeze' means." He
indicated that the Swiss government will press Iran to accept
the P5-plus-1 offer and to respond fully to IAEA questions
regarding alleged weaponization studies.
3. (C) Commenting that it would be "illogical" for
Switzerland to vote for a BOG candidate that is under IAEA
investigation, Pitteloud said that he believed that the
argument against a Syrian BOG candidacy would be strongest if
the case of Syria were a formal item on the IAEA BOG agenda.
He asked whether the USG or others had plans to try to place
the Syrian case formally on the BOG agenda. Terming a Syrian
candidacy also "probably a no-go" for Switzerland, Pitteloud
said that it would be useful to have more information about
what actually had taken place at Al-Kibar. In that context,
he commented that the IAEA Secretariat's upcoming report to
the BOG could be useful.
CARTER