UNODC SUGGESTS COUNTERNARCOTICS VENUE FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 UNVIE VIENNA 000172 SIPDIS INL FOR TOM WILLIAMS, S/SAGSWA FOR DENNIS ROSS, S/SAGSWA FOR ALEX DEHGAN, NEA FOR TODD SCHWARTZ, S/P FOR JILLIAN BURNS, S/P FOR PETER HARRELL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2023 TAGS: PREL SNAR KNNP AF PA IR SUBJECT: UNODC SUGGESTS COUNTERNARCOTICS VENUE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAN REF: UNVIE VIENNA 00117 UNVIE VIEN 00000172 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Gregory Schulte for reasons 1.4 (c) and (e) ¶1. (C) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6. ¶2. (C) Summary. On March 25, Ambassador and Msnoff met with UNODC Technical Cooperation Section Chief Roberto Arbitrio to discuss UNODC perspectives on cooperation with Iran and general Iran issues gained from Arbitrio's four and a half years in Tehran (septel). Arbitrio discussed what he sees as a generally favorable trend for cooperation with Iran on counternarcotics and his perspective that this could be a useful venue for U.S.-Iran cooperation, including a specific proposal for cooperation through the Paris Pact. He argued that engagement is more likely along a few key areas where Iranian domestic consensus is possible, such as drug control, while avoiding more politically-charged issues. End Summary. ¶3. (C) UNODC Technical Cooperation Section Chief Roberto Arbitrio on March 25 noted a number of signs that Iran has recently become more interested in counternarcotics cooperation with the international community, which has led to a serious opportunity. (Note: Arbitrio also reiterated his caution that Iran pursues a "double agenda" in all cooperation and dialogue with the international community (ref A).) These signs include: -- Iran funding the startup of the Joint Planning Cell of the Triangular Initiative after months of inaction, -- increased engagement with the Tehran-based mini-Dublin Group on counternarcotics, -- Head of Iran's Drug Headquarters and Law Enforcement Forces Moghadam's message in June 2008 that Iran was ready to resume collaboration with the West on drug control, -- Iran's plans to discuss alternative livelihoods for Afghanistan regionally and with the international community, -- the March 8 Triangular Initiative joint counterdrug operation (ref A) which Iran used to show that it is a key interlocutor on drug control, -- his impression that Iranian Ambassador Soltanieh has been given specific instructions to increase his involvement in counternarcotics issues at the UN including through chairmanship of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND),and -- that Iran has entrusted its Ambassador to Afghanistan, Maleki, with exploring interactions with different interlocutors, including the U.S., on drug control. Soltanieh conveyed to Arbitrio that he was very proud of his performance in the recent CND because his involvement was seen as neutral by all parties, including the U.S. Maleki's recent steps to increase cooperation on drug control should be viewed, argued Arbitrio, in light of the fact that he was previously sacked by President Ahmadinejad because he was perceived as too close to NATO and the West. Thus, his reinstatement and new efforts may reflect Iran's interest in reaching out to the West. ¶4. (C) Arbitrio noted that if the U.S. is looking to use counternarcotics as a vehicle for engagement with Iran, the 56-country Paris Pact might be the right venue. UNODC is working on an "implementation plan" or "operational framework" for the Paris Pact in which both the U.S. and Iran could participate if both states were interested. UNODC could sponsor a coordination meeting or more formal structure in Kabul to bring interested interlocutors together. This type of cooperation could start at the technical level and move into more substantive cooperation, although UNODC is very open to input on what format, if any, would be useful. Arbitrio asked for feedback on whether this mechanism would be of interest to the U.S. Msnoff noted that it was too early to say what the U.S. engagement strategy would be with Iran and whether counternarcotics cooperation would be part of the strategy that comes out of the Iran policy review. Nevertheless, Msnoff encouraged Arbitrio to continue to share UNODC's ideas and initiatives under consideration with the Mission so that Washington remains well-informed about Iran's level of cooperation and possible avenues for dialogue. UNVIE VIEN 00000172 002.2 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Arbitrio noted to Msnoff on March 19 that UNODC is a "protective umbrella" for dialogue between Iran and other states on counternarcotics and that states sometimes have a hard time working with Iran without using UNODC as a facilitator, though he did not note whether he thought this would be a problem if the U.S. pursued a dialogue with Iran on drug control. For example, the UK, after posting a "drug czar" to Tehran several years ago, got so little cooperation from Iran that they did not replace the officer upon his retirement. The only drug liaison officer left in Iran is Italian, and he does 70 to 80 percent of his work through UNODC. Similarly, a French delegation came to Iran hoping to discuss drug control issues but was unable to schedule meetings with the relevant officials. Upon asking UNODC for help, the meetings were scheduled with UNODC participation. ¶6. (C) ACTION REQUEST: Mission requests consideration of UNODC's suggested cooperation with Iran on drug control as described above and in ref A in the ongoing Iran policy review. Mission also requests guidance once the review is complete on how to respond to UNODC on whether we want the agency to pursue the Paris Pact venue for cooperation and more broadly what role we would like UNODC to play in international cooperation on the counternarcotics issue. Mission POC for this request is Andrea Hall (43 1 31339 4736, Hallag@state.sgov.gov). PYATT