GOM ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING IAEA VOTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KUALA LUMPUR 000977 SIPDIS EAP FOR A/S KURT CAMPBELL AND A/DAS JOE YUN, NSC FOR DESMOND WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2019 TAGS: KNNP IAEA IR MY SUBJECT: GOM ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING IAEA VOTE REF: UNVIE VIENNA 538 Classified By: POLCOUNS Brian McFeeters for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement late on December 5 regarding the November 27 vote on the German resolution at the IAEA (see para. 2). The statement appears to be the GOM's public response to repeated requests in Washington and by the Ambassador to correct the record about its IAEA vote. In addition, both government-controlled newspapers and online news sites in Malaysia carried news of the statement and of of Malaysian Ambassador to the IAEA's Arshad's recall to Kuala Lumpur in December 6 and 7 editions (see paras. 3-7). ¶2. (U) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Statement: "PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA Resolution on Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of UNSC resolutions, 1737 (2006); 1747 (2007); 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran ¶1. On 27 November 2009, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its Meeting in Vienna, Austria, adopted a resolution tabled by Germany on the Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of UNSC resolutions, 1737 (2006); 1747 (2007); 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in the Islamic Republic of Iran. ¶2. The resolution was adopted with 25 Member States voting in favour. Six countries abstained and one was absent. Malaysia voted against the resolution together with Cuba and Venezuela. ¶3. Malaysia is studying the outcome of the resolution and its implications. We will endeavour to work together with the international community in moving the Iranian nuclear issue forward. In this regard, we will consult with members of the IAEA Board of Governors and other Member States of the United Nations. ¶4. The voting was not in accordance with the procedures of the Government and therefore the Minister of Foreign Affairs has instructed the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Vienna to return to Malaysia for consultations. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia PUTRAJAYA 5 December 2009" ¶3. (U) Bernama (news service) article, carried in December 6 online versions of several local newspapers including "Star" and "New Straits Times" and in print editions of December 7 newspapers. "Malaysia recalls its UN envoy over Iran nuclear voting Bernama, December 6, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR: The Foreign Ministry has recalled Malaysia's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna for consultations over the passing of a resolution on the Iran nuclear issue by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Austria last month. The ministry's statement here said voting on the matter was not in accordance with government procedures and that was why the representative was recalled. The IAEA Board on Governors on Nov 27 adopted a resolution tabled by Germany on the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement and the relevant provisions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions 1737 (2006); 1747 (2007); 1803 (2008) and 1835 (2008) in Iran. Malaysia, Cuba and Venezuela voted against the resolution while six countries abstained, one was absent and 25 adopted the resolution. "Malaysia is studying the outcome of the resolution and its KUALA LUMP 00000977 002 OF 004 implications. We will endeavour to work together with the international community in moving the Iranian nuclear issue forward. "In this regard, we will consult with members of the IAEA Board of Governors and other member states of the United Nations," the statement said. - Bernama" ¶4. (U) "Malaysian Insider" online, subscription-based newspaper article" "KL recalls Vienna UN envoy over unsanctioned Iran vote By Leslie Lau Malaysian Insider Consultant Editor KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 * The Foreign Ministry has been forced to recall the country's envoy to the United Nations in Vienna after he voted against an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution criticising Iran for ignoring UN Security Council and nuclear watchdog demands by continuing to build its enrichment programme. Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman confirmed to The Malaysian Insider that the envoy had been recalled because "he did not follow procedures and consult the minister." It is understood that Wisma Putra and the administration are concerned over international public perception after Malaysia, along with Venezuela and Cuba, voted against the IAEA resolution. Bernama, quoting a Wisma Putra statement earlier, said that while Malaysia, Cuba and Venezuela voted against the resolution last month, six countries abstained and 25 adopted the resolution. "Malaysia is studying the outcome of the resolution and its implications. We will endeavour to work together with the international community in moving the Iranian nuclear issue forward. "In this regard, we will consult with members of the IAEA Board of Governors and other member states of the United Nations," Bernama quoted Wisma Putra as saying in an official statement. This is the second time in recent months that Malaysian officials are scrambling to minimise damage over diplomatic mistakes and gaffes. Last month, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had praised former US President George W. Bush for his policies on free trade during the prime minister's visit to Singapore while attending the Apec leaders summit. The implication, as noted by some US officials, was that in Najib's view Barack Obama was against free trade. Government officials were forced to reassure their US counterparts that Najib did not mean any slight towards Obama. The Malaysian Insider understands that such missteps and the vocal stand of some Malaysian leaders against the US have not helped in the Najib administration's courtship of Obama. When Obama expressed interest earlier this year to make an official visit to Indonesia, government officials here had started lobbying Washington for the US president to make a brief stopover here to meet with the PM. Obama has since postponed his visit to Indonesia. US officials are understood to be perplexed by Malaysia's position on issues such as the recent IAEA vote. By not consulting with Wisma Putra before going ahead with the vote, the envoy has put Malaysia's top diplomat Anifah in a difficult position. Since his appointment Anifah has gained a reputation as the hardest-working Cabinet member, making regular trips round the world to put forward the country's position on various issues and establishing Najib's credentials as a reformist committed to international trade in Washington. But the IAEA vote threatens to put Malaysia in the same category as Venezuela and Cuba, two countries well known to be at odds with Washington. The IAEA resolution criticises Iran for defying a UN Security Council ban on uranium enrichment * the source of both nuclear fuel and the fissile core of warheads. It also censured Iran for secretly building a uranium KUALA LUMP 00000977 003 OF 004 enrichment facility; and noted that it could not be confirmed that Teheran's nuclear programme was exclusively geared towards peaceful uses, and expressed "serious concern" that Iranian stonewalling of an IAEA probe means "the possibility of military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme" cannot be excluded. The last time the IAEA board passed a resolution against Iran was in February 2006. International frustration over Iran's refusal to come clean about its atomic plans have been on the rise after it was revealed recently that Tehran has been concealing a second uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom. Iran claims the site near Qom was planned as a back-up plant should the Natanz plant be bombed. During their visit to the Qom site, IAEA inspectors verified that the plant was built to contain around 3,000 uranium-enriching centrifuges, but experts say that would not be sufficient to cover a civilian power programme, The Natanz plant currently has around 8,000 centrifuges installed. ¶5. (U) "Sun" government-influenced newspaper article carried Reuters article: "Malaysia recalls U.N. envoy after Iran nuclear vote Sun Dec 6, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Sunday it recalled its envoy to the United Nations in Vienna for "consultations" after he voted against a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency rebuking Iran. "The voting (of the envoy) was not in accordance with the procedures of the government and therefore the minister of foreign affairs has instructed the permanent representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Vienna to return to Malaysia for consultations," the foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry declined to give any further details. The envoy, Mohd Arshad Manzoor Hussain, holds the rotating chair of the 35-member IAEA's Board of Governors. Malaysia last week was one of three countries with Cuba and Venezuela that voted against the resolution to rebuke Iran for building a second enrichment plant in secret. The measure passed by 25 votes to three. Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey abstained while Azerbaijan missed the ballot. China and Russia, which have blocked global attempts to isolate Iran in the past, voted in favour of the resolution. Diplomats said the vote indicated important developing states were souring on Iran over its nuclear defiance. Western powers have warned Iran it is rapidly approaching an end-of-year deadline to accept a U.N.-drafted nuclear fuel deal which calls on Tehran to send 75 percent of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) from Natanz to Russia and France to be turned into fuel for a Tehran medical research reactor. ¶6. (U) Agence France Presse article: "Malaysia recalls envoy over IAEA Iran censure (AFP) 6 December 2009, KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said on Sunday it has recalled its envoy to the UN in Vienna following an International Atomic Energy Agency vote to censure Iran over its nuclear programme. Malaysia, along with Venezuela and Cuba, voted against the November 27 IAEA resolution which demanded that Iran halt construction of a uranium enrichment site kept secret until recently. &The voting was not in accordance with the procedures of the government,8 the foreign ministry said in a statement, without elaborating. KUALA LUMP 00000977 004 OF 004 &Therefore the minister of foreign affairs has instructed the permanent representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Vienna to return to Malaysia for consultations,8 it said. Of the 35-member IAEA board of governors, 25 countries voted in favour of the resolution, which had been sponsored by Britain, France, the United States, Russia, China and Germany. The Islamic republic has for months been engaged in negotiations with the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany over its suspect nuclear activities. The powers have long suspected that Iran, despite its fierce denials, is trying to build a nuclear bomb, objecting to Tehran,s uranium enrichment work which can be used to power nuclear reactors, but in a highly purified form can make the fissile core of an atom bomb. Iran,s foreign ministry has dismissed the resolution as &theatrical and useless8. Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, has been forced to deny any role in the illegal export of nuclear weapons to Iran, but last month confirmed the involvement of a national in the export of sensitive components." ¶7. (U) AP article: "Malaysia recalls UN envoy over Iran nuclear vote Dec. 6, 2009 Associated Press Malaysia recalled its envoy to the United Nations in Vienna on Sunday after the representative voted against a resolution censuring Iran over its nuclear program. The government did not specify whether the vote was against its policy. The 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed the resolution demanding Iran freeze uranium enrichment Nov. 27. Only Malaysia, Cuba and Venezuela voted against. The Malaysian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the envoy - whom it did not name - has been ordered to return to Malaysia for consultation because "the voting was not in accordance with the procedures of the government." Ministry officials could not immediately be reached Sunday to elaborate on the statement." KEITH