Ecuador on Iran's Nuclear Facility and U.S. Missile Defense

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000863

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/10/05
TAGS: PREL PARM MARR MNUC IAEA KNNP EC IR
SUBJECT: Ecuador on Iran's Nuclear Facility and U.S. Missile Defense
Policy

REF: STATE 100153; STATE 96526

CLASSIFIED BY: Heather M. Hodges, Ambassador, State, EXEC; REASON:
1.4(D)


1. (C) Embassy delivered Ref A points on the existence of a covert
uranium enrichment facility in Iran to the MFA Multilateral Affairs
Directorate on September 25 and followed up with Multilateral
Affairs Director General Lourdes Puma on October 1. Puma stated
that while Ecuador did not participate in decisions by the UN
Security Council (UNSC),the GOE respected the UN charter and fully
complied with the UNSC resolutions. Puma reiterated the GOE's
position of supporting non-proliferation and universal disarmament,
as well as the NPT and Additional Protocol. She also suggested
that all NPT countries be held to the same safe-guard standards.
When asked whether Ecuador engages Iran with regard to compliance
with UNSC resolutions, Puma said that Ecuador did not engage Iran
bilaterally, but supported such conversations during meetings of
the Non-Aligned Movement.




2. (C) Responding to our earlier delivery of Ref B points, Puma
said that the efforts by the Obama administration with regard to
the U.S. missile defense policy and to negotiating a reduction of
nuclear arms with Russia were positive steps. Puma also said that
it was a positive step for the Iranian government to announce that
it would allow access to the Qom uranium facility. Puma stated
that Latin AMERICA was the first zone free of nuclear weapons, and
wished that other regions would follow its example.
HODGES