IMPLEMENTING UNSCR'S IRAN SANCTIONS: MANAGUA

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 000509 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND INR/IAA DEPT ALSO FOR ISN/RA AND IO/T E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2018 TAGS: MNUC KNNP IR NU SUBJECT: IMPLEMENTING UNSCR'S IRAN SANCTIONS: MANAGUA RESPONSE REF: A. SECSTATE 34974 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. SECSTATE 29464 ¶C. SECSTATE 21770 ¶D. 07 MANAGUA 2544 Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli for reasons 1.4 b & d. ¶1. (U) On April 11, we met with the Foreign Ministry's (MINREX) Director for North America, Rene Morales, and Nelly Beteta, Director for Africa and the Middle East, to deliver points and non-papers as instructed per reftels. Beteta indicated that the Government of Nicaragua supported Iran's peaceful pursuit of nuclear technology, and would assist Iran where possible; however, she noted that GON support would end if Iran's activities when beyond this goal. Beteta said she would familiarize herself with the names on the travel ban list as well as the named companies involved in supporting Iran's nuclear program. In response to her question about whether the travel ban applied only to entry of Nicaragua, we explained that, as a Security Council Resolution, the travel ban applied to all UN member states, not just Nicaragua. Beteta did not reply to questions about whether Nicaragua's recent executive order granting visa-free access to Nicaragua for Iranians would affect the GON's ability to monitor the travel of any of the named individuals. (ref D) ¶2. (C) Beteta said that several Iranian delegations had visited Nicaragua in recent months. She explained that these had been purely commercial groups comprised of private investors seeking investment opportunities in Nicaragua. She added that an Iranian delegation was in Managua recently to present a proposal to Nicaragua's Ministry of Energy and Mines for a GON plan to develop a hydroelectric project in the Atlantic Region. She observed that the Iranian proposal was unlikely to win out as it did not stack up well against proposals made by investor groups from Mexico, Brazil and Italy. TRIVELLI