KAZAKHSTAN LIKELY TO BUZZ ON IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASTANA 001536 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, NEA/IR, IO/MPR E.O. 12958: 09/04/2019 TAGS: PREL PARM MNUC AORC KNNP IAEA UN IR KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN LIKELY TO BUZZ ON IRAN REFTEL: SECSTATE 95073 Classified By: Ambassador Richard E. Hoagland: 1.4 (B),(D) ¶1. (C) During a September 16 meeting with Kazakhstani Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov, the Ambassador delivered the talking points (ref) urging Kazakhstan to send a strong private message to Iran about its nuclear program, possibly during a bilateral meeting at UNGA. Umarov agreed to pass the message to Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev who will attend UNGA, saying "Let's see. We will consider the idea." Umarov promised to inform the Ambassador of the Foreign Minister's response. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: Umarov's seeming reserve is likely due to the fact that he is brand new in his job, after having been out of Kazakhstan for five years as ambassador to India. We believe it is very likely Saudabayev will follow through, especially because President Nazarbayev himself has told us in the past that he has raised almost exactly the same points with President Amadinejad and Ayatollah Komeini. We note, however, that Nazarbayev also added that arguing these points with the leadership of Iran was "like talking to a brick wall." END COMMENT. HOAGLAND