PANAMA: DEMARCHE ON NAM CONFERENCE DELIVERED

C O N F I D E N T I A L PANAMA 000581 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2018 TAGS: PARM IR KNNP MNUC TRGY IAEA PERL UR PM SUBJECT: PANAMA: DEMARCHE ON NAM CONFERENCE DELIVERED REF: SECSTATE 74879 Classified By: POLCOUNS BRIAN R. NARANJO REASON: 1.4 (d) -------------- IRAN CIRCULATES DRAFT STATEMENT -------------- ¶1. (C) POL had delivered Reftel demarche to MFA political advisor Janio Tunon on July 16 to discuss Panama's position in the upcoming Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Conference scheduled for July 29-30. POL underscored that Panama held a unique position as a NAM representative and UNSC member. POL urged Panama to convince other NAM countries that Iran had continued to defy UNSC obligations and should suspend its uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. ¶2. (C) Tunon informed POL that Iran had circulated a draft statement regarding its "peaceful nuclear program" to all NAM members. The statement reiterated Iran's position on its "right to nuclear technology" and requested that all NAM ministerial representatives support the following: --Sanctions imposed on Iran for its nuclear program are of political nature and should be promptly removed as there is no legal basis for the UN Security Council to proceed in this matter. All outstanding issues regarding Iran's nuclear program should be negotiated between Iran and the IAEA only. --As declared in the 2006 Heads of State Summit statement delivered in Havana, NAM representatives defended Iran's right to nuclear technology. Iran, as a State Party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, had the right to continue its fuel cycle program for peaceful purposes. --The IAEA declared that there was no diversion in the peaceful nuclear activities of Iran and asserted that Iran resolved all outstanding issues with the IAEA. -------------- PANAMA DISAGREES WITH STATEMENT -------------- ¶3. (C) Tunon presented Panama's written response to Iran's statement and outlined areas where Panama disagreed. Tunon stated that since release of the Havana Summit Statement in 2006, Panama supported UNSC resolutions that imposed sanctions on Iran and demanded suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment program. He also highlighted that Iran's assertion that it had complied with IAEA obligations was false. As noted in the IAEA's May 26, 2008 report, Iran continued to defy reporting obligations and had not fully disclosed its nuclear activities. While discussing Panama's role during the NAM conference, Tunon noted that Panama would maintain a "low profile" and would suggest quietly that Iran comply with UNSC obligations and consider the P5 1 package presented by the European Union. Considering that the NAM conference would be in Tehran, Tunon did not expect strong verbal declarations by Panama against Iran's statement. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) Tunon affirmed that Panama would maintain communication with POL and update Post once he received an updated draft on Iran's campaign to gather NAM support on its nuclear program. MESA