IRAN AND SOLOMON ISLANDS INITIATE DIPLOMATIC CONTACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT MORESBY 000221 DEPT FOR EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/3/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL IR BP SUBJECT: IRAN AND SOLOMON ISLANDS INITIATE DIPLOMATIC CONTACT REF: PORT MORESBY 132 CLASSIFIED BY: Leslie Rowe, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy Port Moresby, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Iran and Solomon Islands have embarked on a series of Foreign Minister-level meetings that could lead to the establishment of formal diplomatic ties. Beginning with an initial September meeting on the margins of the UNGA, the Solomon Islands Foreign Minister journeyed to Tehran in October, and the Iranian Foreign Minister has already received an invitation to Honiara. The Solomon Islands Prime Minister appears to have been only marginally involved or aware of the initial bilateral contact. Opposition to establishing formal ties with Iran has been vocal, coming from former Prime Minister Sogavare and at least two provincial premiers. Part of the motivation for relations with Iran may be a need to obtain cheap wholesale fuel, as the Solomons logging revenues diminish and the nation seeks new donor friends. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) News of the startup of diplomatic talks between Iran and Solomon Islands broke while Foreign Minister William Haomae and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Permanent Secretary Barnabas Enga were already enroute from Honiara to Tehran October 28. Sources at the Foreign Ministry told USG officials that the groundwork for the Tehran visit had been laid just prior to the September 2008 UNGA meeting, in New York, where Solomon Islands Permanent Representative to the United Nations Colin Beck orchestrated a meeting between his Foreign Minister and that of Iran. ¶3. (C) While in New York, the Foreign Ministers of both nations signed a memorandum of understanding that called for future bilateral meetings at their level. A press report October 31 quotes a DFAT statement that the MOU "allows for the two countries to explore specific cooperative arrangements, including the possibility of formalizing diplomatic relations." The MOU is not available publicly. ¶4. (C) DFAT Deputy Secretary Senda Fifi'i suggested to DCM that Prime Minister Derek Sikua may only have had a vague idea his FM would be meeting with Iranian officials in New York prior to the UNGA. Significantly, it was not until the Honiara news media publicized the FM's Tehran trip that SI Prime Minister Sikua asked DFAT to send over a copy of the New York MOU with Iran. The PM also instructed DFAT to delay formal release of a press statement explaining the Solomons-Iran initiative, although some of the substance of the draft statement did appear in a local paper the following day. The PM also inquired how many other South Pacific nations had formal diplomatic relations with Iran, according to the DFAT Deputy Secretary, and received the answer "two: Australia and New Zealand." ¶5. (U) The DFAT statement quoted by a newspaper added: "As a peace loving state, we have adopted a foreign policy of 'friends to all, enemies to none'. We are mindful that we conduct our international affairs in an interdependent world. We rely on each other, although there may be differences between certain countries. But those differences should not dictate who we interact with. We need to broaden our relations to further increase the opportunities and benefits that we could derive from such relations." ¶6. (U) A press report November 3 indicates that the SI FM has now reciprocated with an invitation to the Iranian Foreign Minister to visit Honiara, with anticipated discussions of future Iranian cooperation in the areas of energy, trade, education, and engineering know-how. ¶7. (U) Word of diplomatic explorations with Iran immediately sparked political controversy. According to press reports October 29, during a session of Parliament, Opposition Leader (and former Prime Minister) Manasseh Sogavare condemned the SIG for its plan to establish relations with Iran, saying he was shocked that the SIG, which claims to believe in democracy and good governance, would engage with a government that works against those principles "and trains terrorists." An editorial in the usually pro-government Solomon Star November 3, while not ruling out the notion of diplomatic ties with Iran entirely, does not mince words when criticizing Iran's "appalling human rights record and treat(ing) its women with indignity and contempt. The country and its leaders openly backed international terrorism. Its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a hostile leader." At least two provincial premiers have also publicly opposed formal diplomatic ties with Iran. ¶8. (C) COMMENT: Several post contacts have said that at least part of the motivation for the SIG to establish relations with Iran is a need to obtain cheap wholesale fuel. The SIG reportedly established relations with Venezuela three months ago for the same reason. With logging revenues projected to dry up within the next five years, and the downturn in the world economy, the SI is clearly expanding its horizons to new donor friends who are more than willing to provide assistance. END COMMENT. ROWE