NAMIBIA: IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS VOTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L WINDHOEK 000301 SIPDIS FOR ISN/RA RICHARD NEPHEW JODY DANIEL, FOR IO/T HEATHER VON BEHREN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2018 TAGS: IAEA PARM MNUCWA WA SUBJECT: NAMIBIA: IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS VOTE REF: A. STATE 99746 ¶B. WINDHOEK 239 Classified By: Ambassador Dennise Mathieu for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Emboff met with the Namibian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director of Multilateral Affairs Julius Zaya Shiweva and delivered reftel demarche on September 22. Shiweva stated that "to his knowledge Namibia had not yet been approached by any country" with regards to the nomination of a member of the Middle East and South Asia (MESA) group to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). After Emboff explained USG's concerns over Syrian or Iranian membership on the Board of Governors, drawing on reftel talking points, Shiweva responded that the Government of Namibia (GRN) did not yet have a position but that it would take the U.S. position into account. Shiweva noted that it was the GRN's policy not to make a public declaration against the candidacy of any member nation. ¶2. (C) On September 25, Emboff followed up with Helena Itamba, the Deputy Director of the Controlled Minerals and Minerals Development Division of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, to reinforce USG concerns about Iranian or Syrian membership on the Board of Governors. (Note: Itamba is responsible for the GRN's IAEA compliance within the Ministry of Mines. End Note.) Itamba indicated that her government was aware of the USG's concerns over Syria and Iran following a July 29 meeting between Ambassador Mathieu and the Minister of Mines and Energy (reftel B). She declared that Namibia would not support Syria's or Iran's candidacies. Itamba then explained the chief of Namibia's delegation (National Liaison Officer) to the IAEA General Conference is Minister of Health and Social Services Permanent Secretary Kahijoro Kahuure and that he was already in Vienna. Itamba added that she would travel to Vienna in two days to attend IAEA meetings the following week and would convey our concerns to the Namibian delegation personally, including to Kahuure. ¶3. (C) Comment: Given the Ministry of Health's role in the IAEA Deliberations, DCM will follow up with the Ministry of Health on September 30 to reiterate our concerns. End Comment. MATHIEU