IRAN: MALAYSIA NON-COMMITTAL ON SUPPORTING GERMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000955 SIPDIS EAP/MTS, NEA/FO FOR ELISA CATALANO, AND ISN/RA FOR RICHARD NEPHEW E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2019 TAGS: PREL IAEA KNNP IR MY SUBJECT: IRAN: MALAYSIA NON-COMMITTAL ON SUPPORTING GERMAN IAEA RESOLUTION REF: A. STATE 120288 -- IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 822 -- MALAYSIAN VIEWS ON IRAN ¶C. STEVE MULL EMAIL (NOTAL) NOVEMBER 24 ¶D. 2009 Classified By: Political Counselor Brian D. McFeeters for reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) In the absence of the Foreign Minister and MFA Secretary General (both away on overseas travel),the Ambassador conveyed ref A and C points on the German IAEA resolution and U.S. overall concerns about Iran's nuclear program to Deputy Foreign Minister Kohilan Pillay by phone on November 25. Pillay, a political appointee with a limited substantive portfolio, listened attentively to the Ambassador's presentation, but offered no substantive reply to our points. ¶2. (C) Polcouns and Poloff met later on November 25 with Shazryll Zahiran, Principal Assistant Secretary in the MFA's Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Section, to follow-up on the Ambassador's presentation to the Deputy FM. Shazryll indicated that his government was familiar with the issues and had already received a copy of the draft resolution proposed by Germany pertaining to Iran. Although Shazryll emphasized that no final decision had been made, he said his government was giving "positive consideration" to supporting Germany's resolution, noting the GOM's desire to see the standoff with Iran resolved "amicably." In reply to ref A points, Shazryll said he understood that further pressure on Iran may be needed and assured us that he would pass our concerns to the highest levels of the MFA, as well as to the Prime Minister's aides who are currently with him in Washington DC for an unofficial visit. ¶3. (C) Polcouns pressed Shazryll on whether or not the GOM considered the German proposal amicable enough for the GOM to support it. Shazryll replied that he could not say more because "the Non-Aligned Movement(NAM) is still looking into this." He noted that NAM support will depend on the context of the resolution, and that Malaysia will not make any decisions until it has consulted with NAM partners. Shazryll hedged on whether the GOM felt obligated to align itself with the NAM majority. When queried about which specific NAM partners the GOM engages with on this issue, he did not reply. ¶4. (C) Shazryll told Polcouns that the GOM remained "confused" by Iran's reaction to the Teheran Research Reactor (TRR) proposal, adding that Iran was sending mixed messages about whether it would agree to the proposal, and, if not, what its objections were. He added that the GOM had not engaged Iran on the TRR proposal directly. ¶5. (C) Shazryll commented that the MFA had not yet provided instructions to Arshad Hussein, Malaysia's Ambassador to the IAEA, on the German IAEA resolution, but would do so after further consultations. Noting that Arshad was also the new Chairman of the Board of Governors of the IAEA, Shazryll said that Arshad placed great importance on acting objectively in that capacity. Shazryll reiterated that he would dutifully convey to his superiors, and to Prime Minister Najib's aides in Washington, the U.S. request that Malaysia support the German resolution. ¶6. (C) The British High Commission briefed the DCM on their interactions today with the MFA on the Iran IAEA resolution issue. They heard a very similar non-committal message from Shazryll and also that the NAM had not yet coordinated its position. The British, like us, have had equal difficulty in accessing senior levels of the MFA on this issue, in part because many senior officials are on travel. The French DCM communicated a similar message to us on the results of their demarche to Shazryll Nov. 25. KEITH