Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CANBERRA916
2009-10-07 06:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
SKEPTICAL AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS U.S. APPROACH ON IRAN
how-toVZCZCXRO3922 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHTRO DE RUEHBY #0916 2800627 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 070627Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2118 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000916
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2019
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IR AS
SUBJECT: SKEPTICAL AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS U.S. APPROACH ON IRAN
REF: A. STATE 103219
B. CANBERRA 901
Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Edgard Kagan, Reasons 1.4(b)(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000916
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2019
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IR AS
SUBJECT: SKEPTICAL AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS U.S. APPROACH ON IRAN
REF: A. STATE 103219
B. CANBERRA 901
Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Edgard Kagan, Reasons 1.4(b)(d).
1. (C/NF) Australia fully supports U.S. efforts to engage
with Iran but remains very skeptical of Iranian intentions.
Patrick Suckling, First Assistant Secretary for International
Affairs at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
and Andrea Faulkner, Assistant Secretary for South Asia,
Middle East and Africa at the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade both reacted positively to the P5 1 readout (Ref
A),pledged support for the dual track approach and expressed
Australia's deep official skepticism about Iran. Their
comments echoed Foreign Minister Smith's statements before
the P5 1 Geneva meeting that dialogue from Iran is a good
start but not enough, and should the talks breakdown,
Australia would contemplate further sanctions.
2. (C/NF) Faulkner said Australia was optimistically
surprised by the Iranian interest in the Tehran Research
Reactor proposal but added that "we have our eyes wide open,"
and wondered if Iran was not simply playing for time.
Australia will attend the "like-minded" meeting hosted by
State and Treasury to show support for the U.S. but also to
gear up the bureaucracy for possible future sanctions,
according to Faulkner. She noted that her boss, DFAT First
Assistant Secretary for South Asia, Middle East and Africa
Deborah Stokes had just left for Washington to participate in
the meeting (Ref B). Driving the point more forcefully,
Suckling focused on potential sanctions stating, "Australia
wants the most robust, intrusive and debilitating sanctions
possible." He concluded by reiterating the official
skepticism but described Australia as "completely aligned"
with the U.S. on Iran.
3. (C/NF) Comment: Australia appears to consider future
sanctions inevitable, and is preparing the bureaucratic
groundwork to support United Nations Security Council
sanctions as well as further autonomous sanctions. End
Comment.
CLUNE
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2019
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IR AS
SUBJECT: SKEPTICAL AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS U.S. APPROACH ON IRAN
REF: A. STATE 103219
B. CANBERRA 901
Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Edgard Kagan, Reasons 1.4(b)(d).
1. (C/NF) Australia fully supports U.S. efforts to engage
with Iran but remains very skeptical of Iranian intentions.
Patrick Suckling, First Assistant Secretary for International
Affairs at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
and Andrea Faulkner, Assistant Secretary for South Asia,
Middle East and Africa at the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade both reacted positively to the P5 1 readout (Ref
A),pledged support for the dual track approach and expressed
Australia's deep official skepticism about Iran. Their
comments echoed Foreign Minister Smith's statements before
the P5 1 Geneva meeting that dialogue from Iran is a good
start but not enough, and should the talks breakdown,
Australia would contemplate further sanctions.
2. (C/NF) Faulkner said Australia was optimistically
surprised by the Iranian interest in the Tehran Research
Reactor proposal but added that "we have our eyes wide open,"
and wondered if Iran was not simply playing for time.
Australia will attend the "like-minded" meeting hosted by
State and Treasury to show support for the U.S. but also to
gear up the bureaucracy for possible future sanctions,
according to Faulkner. She noted that her boss, DFAT First
Assistant Secretary for South Asia, Middle East and Africa
Deborah Stokes had just left for Washington to participate in
the meeting (Ref B). Driving the point more forcefully,
Suckling focused on potential sanctions stating, "Australia
wants the most robust, intrusive and debilitating sanctions
possible." He concluded by reiterating the official
skepticism but described Australia as "completely aligned"
with the U.S. on Iran.
3. (C/NF) Comment: Australia appears to consider future
sanctions inevitable, and is preparing the bureaucratic
groundwork to support United Nations Security Council
sanctions as well as further autonomous sanctions. End
Comment.
CLUNE