AMBASSADOR RAISES IAEA WITH FM, MALAYSIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000350 SIPDIS FOR IO/T AND EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2018 TAGS: PREL AORC KNNP IAEA MY SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES IAEA WITH FM, MALAYSIA NON-COMMITTAL REF: STATE 46302 Classified By: Political Counselor Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) Ambassador Keith utilized his May 11 call on Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman to urge Malaysia's support for Japan's candidate in the IAEA Director General election (other points discussed septel). The Foreign Minister noted that Malaysia had considered and then decided against nominating its own candidate. Anifah did not comment on Malaysia's support of the current candidates. ¶2. (C) Poloff spoke on May 8 with Shazryll Zahiran, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Foreign Ministry's Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Division. Shazryll noted that his government had not yet made a decision on which candidate to support because they understood that the IAEA was still considering reducing the number of candidates from five down to three or two. He stressed that his government was not in a position to support a candidate until they were certain of a final candidate list. Shazryll mentioned that the consensus within his office was that there were "too many European candidates," and that any reductions should come from among these candidates. Post will report any subsequent response. KEITH