SWEDEN ON P5+1 IRAN TALKS: RUSSIAN TRR SUPPORT IS

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000641 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL IR SW SUBJECT: SWEDEN ON P5+1 IRAN TALKS: RUSSIAN TRR SUPPORT IS "SIGNIFICANT NOVELTY" REF: STATE 103219 Classified By: Pol Counselor Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). (C) Poloffs met on October 9 with MFA Middle East Director General Robert Rydberg to deliver reftel points. Rydberg noted that: --Sweden assesses that the results of the Geneva meeting were better than expected and the talks were conducted in a good working atmosphere. --Russian support for the process is an important development and the plan for supplying enriched uranium for the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) is a "significant novelty." --At the same time, Sweden shares US concerns about Iran backsliding on its commitments and it remains to be seen whether Iran will take concrete steps or whether the Geneva meeting was only a tactical move to deflect increased international pressure. --Iran will not be a formal agenda item of the October 26-7 GAERC EU foreign ministers' meetings, but will be a topic of discussion during the dinner "as it nearly always is." --Sweden continues to maintain contacts with Iran on numerous levels; Rydberg called in the Iranian ambassador this week and the Swedish ambassador in Tehran had seen Iranian DFM Safari last week. In these meetings, Sweden raised not only the nuclear issue, but also human rights concerns, such as release of political prisoners and detained citizens of EU Member States. Sweden will release an EU Presidency statement on the capital punishment of minors in the very near future. --Sweden understands USG experts may be traveling to Brussels in November to consult on the effectiveness of sanctions. The Swedes appreciate these consultations and hope they will continue. BARZUN