Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08OTTAWA380
2008-03-14 17:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
how-toVZCZCXRO5511 OO RUEHAG RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHROV RUEHVC DE RUEHOT #0380 0741715 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141715Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7526 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0155 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1701 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1339 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 2364 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 1516 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3348
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000380
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2013
TAGS: PREL KDEM PHUM IR CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON IRAN'S ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 25587
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000380
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2013
TAGS: PREL KDEM PHUM IR CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON IRAN'S ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 25587
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a meeting with PolMinCouns on March 14,
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Director General for the Middle East and North Africa Gordon
E. Venner (a former Ambassador to Iran) expressed
appreciation for the draft U.S. statement on Iran's
parliamentary elections (reftel). He said that DFAIT had
prepared contingency press guidance "along the same lines,"
calling the elections a "farce" due to its "deeply flawed
process," which was "clearly non-democratic." He indicated,
however, that there was little inclination within DFAIT to
issue a statement, claiming that there was "no point." He
nonetheless promised to discuss again with Deputy Foreign
Minister Len Edwards later that day. PolMinCouns underscored
that Canada, as a democratic nation with a long-time
diplomatic presence in Teheran, was in an excellent position
to comment substantively on what its officials had observed
first-hand. Venner noted that, even if DFAIT recommended
such a statement, the Prime Minister's Office might not
concur if it seemed to interfere with the "message of the
day." PolMinCouns pointed to the successful vote in
Parliament on March 13 to extend the Canadian Forces' role in
Afghanistan through 2011 -- in part to promote democratic
values -- and commented that highlighting the difference
between what the international community had achieved in
bringing democracy to Afghanistan and what was happening in
Iran's flawed elections would make sense. Venner agreed to
consider issuance of a statement further.
2. (C) Venner also welcomed the opportunity to participate
in the April 10-11 Iran Trilaterals in Washington, and
reiterated that Canada remained fully supportive of all of
the efforts and resolutions of the UN Security Council and
International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran. He expressed
frustration, however, that these were "not working" and that
there seemed to be so few alternatives. He expressed the
hope that the upcoming discussions would clarify desirable
and more effective next steps by the international community.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
BREESE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2013
TAGS: PREL KDEM PHUM IR CA
SUBJECT: CANADA ON IRAN'S ELECTIONS
REF: STATE 25587
Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a meeting with PolMinCouns on March 14,
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
Director General for the Middle East and North Africa Gordon
E. Venner (a former Ambassador to Iran) expressed
appreciation for the draft U.S. statement on Iran's
parliamentary elections (reftel). He said that DFAIT had
prepared contingency press guidance "along the same lines,"
calling the elections a "farce" due to its "deeply flawed
process," which was "clearly non-democratic." He indicated,
however, that there was little inclination within DFAIT to
issue a statement, claiming that there was "no point." He
nonetheless promised to discuss again with Deputy Foreign
Minister Len Edwards later that day. PolMinCouns underscored
that Canada, as a democratic nation with a long-time
diplomatic presence in Teheran, was in an excellent position
to comment substantively on what its officials had observed
first-hand. Venner noted that, even if DFAIT recommended
such a statement, the Prime Minister's Office might not
concur if it seemed to interfere with the "message of the
day." PolMinCouns pointed to the successful vote in
Parliament on March 13 to extend the Canadian Forces' role in
Afghanistan through 2011 -- in part to promote democratic
values -- and commented that highlighting the difference
between what the international community had achieved in
bringing democracy to Afghanistan and what was happening in
Iran's flawed elections would make sense. Venner agreed to
consider issuance of a statement further.
2. (C) Venner also welcomed the opportunity to participate
in the April 10-11 Iran Trilaterals in Washington, and
reiterated that Canada remained fully supportive of all of
the efforts and resolutions of the UN Security Council and
International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran. He expressed
frustration, however, that these were "not working" and that
there seemed to be so few alternatives. He expressed the
hope that the upcoming discussions would clarify desirable
and more effective next steps by the international community.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
BREESE