BRIEFING THE HUNGARIANS ON P5+1 TALKS WITH IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000734 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JAMIE MOORE. NSC FOR HOVENIER. E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2012 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IR HU SUBJECT: BRIEFING THE HUNGARIANS ON P5+1 TALKS WITH IRAN REF: STATE 103219 Classified By: Political Counselor Paul C. O'Friel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) POL/ECON Counselor and POL Officer briefed Ministry of Foreign Affairs Political Director Gabor Iklody and Sandor Racz, Iran Desk Officer in the Security and Non-Proliferation Department, October 5 on the outcome of the P5 1 talks in Geneva. We emphasized that although progress had been made, there was a risk of Iranian backsliding. ¶2. (C) Iklody expressed thanks for the briefing. Hungary, he said, took the Iranian nuclear issue very seriously and fully supported U.S. objectives, commenting that "we don't have time to lose." Every day that Iran was allowed to continue with an unsupervised program was a day closer to it obtaining a nuclear weapon. ¶3. (C) The United States should be ready to engage, but also ready to move ahead with intrusive sanctions, Iklody continued. He noted that while France and the United Kingdom were taking a strong stance, there were some European countries that were "not enthusiastic" about intrusive sanctions. A Washington leadership role and P5 1 unity would ensure a united front and help overcome resistance, providing a better chance for success. Hungary, Iklody stated, would fully back any sanctions regime. "We're ready to do our part." LEVINE