MALAYSIA MFA VIEWS ON IAEA REPORTS: IRAN AND SYRIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000744 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2019 TAGS: KNNP PARM IAEA MNUC IR SY MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA MFA VIEWS ON IAEA REPORTS: IRAN AND SYRIA REF: STATE 91633 Classified By: Political Counselor Brian McFeeters for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In reply to Polcouns' September 3 delivery of reftel points on the August 28 IAEA reports on Iran's and Syria's nuclear programs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Principal Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Shazryll Zahiran, one of two MFA officers handling nonproliferation and disarmament issues, said he had not yet seen the latest report. However, based on the June 2009 Director General's report on Iran (referring to GOV/2009/35, "Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1737 (2006),1747 (2007),1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran") the GOM "was satisfied" that Iran was in compliance with its IAEA obligations. ¶2. (C) While it was true that Iran possessed large quantities of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride, Shazryll added, Iran had not tried to further enrich this material, as far as the GOM was informed. Intelligence information to the contrary, if it existed, needed to be shared with IAEA members including Iran so that it could be "verified and checked." Shazryll agreed that Iran should be persuaded to allow the additional inspections that the IAEA called for, but suggested that Iran would comply given time. The GOM's overall position remained that Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy needed to be defended, while at the same time Iran had to adhere to its NPT commitments. He added that U.S.-Russian nuclear arms reduction discussions should influence Iran to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon. ¶3. (C) Shazryll said he was not familiar enough with Syria to comment on reftel points on Syria. KEITH