SWISS STATE SECRETARY AMBUEHL COMMENTS ON IRAN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BERN 000519

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR P, CA/OCS/ACS (B.MARWAHA),NEA/IR (M.SPRING),AND
EUR/CE (Y.SAINT-ANDRE)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2024
TAGS: PREL KNNP CASC MNUC IR SZ
SUBJECT: SWISS STATE SECRETARY AMBUEHL COMMENTS ON IRAN
(P5-PLUS-1, HIKERS, CONSULAR ISSUES DIALOGUE?)

Classified By: Ambassador Donald S. Beyer; reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (S) Summary: In a December 2 meeting, Swiss Federal
Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) State Secretary (Deputy
FM) Michael Ambuehl provided Ambassador a readout of recent
FDFA discussions with Iranian FM Mottaki and the Iranian
ambassador in Bern. Ambuehl reported that FM Calmy-Rey had
spoken via telephone the morning of December 2 with Iranian
FM Mottaki. In that conversation, Calmy-Rey had urged the
Iranian government to re-engage the P5-plus-1 and emphasized
the importance of the opportunity represented by the
P5-plus-1 proposal. FM Calmy-Rey also raised American
citizen issues with FM Mottaki, and urged the Iranian
government to release, as a gesture of goodwill, the three
American hikers detained by Iran in July. Ambuehl said the
FDFA was wondering whether it would be useful for the USG and
Iran to engage in bilateral dialogue on consular issues,
discreetly hosted by Switzerland. He said the Iranians had
shown openness to the idea, but would never ask for such
dialogue. Ambuehl emphasized that he was offering this
suggestion informally, and had no intention whatsoever of
pressuring the USG (or Iran) with regard to the idea. End
Summary.

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P5-plus-1
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2. (S) Ambuehl reported that FM Calmy-Rey had spoken via
telephone the morning of December 2 with Iranian FM Mottaki.
In that conversation, Calmy-Rey had urged the Iranian
government to re-engage the P5-plus-1 and had emphasized the
importance of the opportunity represented by the P5-plus-1
proposal. Ambuehl said that he himself had conveyed the same
message to the local Iranian ambassador (Keyvan Imani). Per
Ambuehl, the Iranians were insisting that they are prepared
to move forward, but "others (i.e., the P5-plus-1) must move
first." He lamented the continued Iranian recalcitrance and
commented that Iranian domestic politics (Majlis Speaker
Larijani vs. President Ahmadinejad) and Iranian pride (the
"need to save face") had further complicated the situation.

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Three U.S. Citizen Hikers
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3. (S) Ambuehl underscored that the Swiss government raises
with Iranian officials the welfare of American citizens
detained or missing in Iran at every appropriate opportunity,
and will continue to do so. He said that FM Calmy-Rey had
raised American citizen issues in her December 2 telephone
conversation with FM Mottaki. Calmy-Rey had urged the
Iranian government to release the three American hikers
detained by Iran in July, saying this would be a gesture of
goodwill that could improve the general atmosphere. Ambuehl
commented that it was not evident whether the Iranians had
taken this message to heart -- "not clear what they will do."
Ambuehl conveyed a similar message to the local Iranian
Ambassador, who referred to cases of alleged missing or
detained Iranian citizens, implying the USG had some
influence, and saying that the USG needs to move first.

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Consular Issues Dialogue
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4. (S) Ambuehl said the FDFA was wondering whether it would
be useful for the USG and Iran to engage in bilateral
dialogue on consular issues, discreetly hosted by
Switzerland. He added that he thought confidential meetings
would be more effective than publicly announced ones, and
expressed confidence that confidentiality could be
maintained, referring to the FDFA's previous experience of
hosting successful trilateral rounds of talks between Turkey
and Armenian without press leaks. Ambuehl said that such
dialogue -- with the Swiss in the room, or "just serving the
coffee" -- might be a way to advance both consular and
broader confidence building interests. He reported that the
FDFA had floated this idea with the Iranians, most recently
in FM Calmy-Rey's December 2 telephone conversation with FM
Mottaki. Per Ambuehl, Mottaki had indicated openness to the
idea, but would never ask for such a dialogue, because "they
never want to be the 'demandeurs'." Ambuehl noted that, if
Switzerland had signals of interest from both sides, the
Swiss could propose such a dialogue, to avoid either side
having to ask.


5. (S) According to Ambuehl, Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Livia

BERN 00000519 002 OF 002


Leu had raised this topic with USG officials during her visit
to Washington in November. Ambuehl emphasized, however, that
he was offering this suggestion informally, and had no
intention whatsoever of pressuring the USG (or Iran) with
regard to the idea of such dialogue. He said that he would
be fine with any USG answer, or even no feedback at all, on
the suggestion.
BEYER