AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO UNSC RESOLUTION 1803 ON IRAN

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000222 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/RA R.NEPHEW AND IO/T H.VON BEHREN DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR NEA/IR AND EAP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MNUC PARM KNNP AS SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO UNSC RESOLUTION 1803 ON IRAN REF: STATE 21770 ¶1. (U) Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith issued a statement March 4 within hours of the UN Security Council's near-unanimous vote on Resolution 1803, welcoming its adoption, urging Iran to suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, and pledging that Australia would promptly implement the terms of the resolution. FM Smith's release also suggested that Australian law would be modified to implement the sanctions. Full text of the resolution follows in paragraph 3, below. ¶2. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel points and other documents on UNSC Resolution 1803 contained in reftel to Valerie Grey, Director for Arms Control, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT),on March 4. She was appreciative of the information, especially the carefully crafted description of the resolution in the talking points. Poloff also sought clarification of the changes in legislation referenced in FM Smith's statement from the Sanctions and Transnational Crime Section of DFAT. Stuart Mooney, Sanctions Officer, explained that legal changes were needed to implement travel restrictions on named individuals, a process that would be expected to take about two weeks. ¶3. (U) Text of Foreign Minister Smith's media release follows: Begin text. FURTHER UNSC RESOLUTION ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES I welcome the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 1803 on Iran, which reaffirms the international community's serious concerns in regard to Iran's nuclear activities. The new resolution strengthens sanctions against Iran. It expands the range of items that are subject to the export ban to Iran and the list of individuals and entities subject to financial measures. It extends a travel ban in relation to individuals associated with Iran's proliferation sensitive nuclear activities or nuclear weapons delivery systems. It also details measures relating to the inspection of cargo carried by Iranian aircraft and vessels. The adoption of this resolution - the fourth resolution in relation to Iran's nuclear activities makes very clear that Iran needs to address the international community's serious concerns about its nuclear activities. The adoption of the resolution should underline to Iran the international community's firm resolve on this issue. The resolution stresses again the willingness of the Permanent Members of the Security Council (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States) and Germany to engage with Iran on a comprehensive, long term solution to the issue and promote wide-ranging cooperation provided Iran suspends all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. The Australian Government urges Iran to suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities in accordance with successive United Nations Security Council resolutions. Australia will implement promptly the terms of the resolution as required by all United Nations members. Changes to Australian law implementing UN sanctions against Iran will be reflected on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website at http://www.dfat.gov.au/un/unsc(underscore)san ctions/iran.html. End text. MCCALLUM