IAEA/JUNE BOARD: IRAQ SEEKS A CLEAN SLATE FROM THE

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000281 SENSITIVE SIPDIS ISN/RA FOR DANIEL; NEA/I FOR NOTAR, KENNA; L FOR MITCHELL, HIRSCH; BAGHDAD FOR FINGARSON, AHN, SWINEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC IAEA IZ KNNP SUBJECT: IAEA/JUNE BOARD: IRAQ SEEKS A CLEAN SLATE FROM THE IAEA AT THE SEPTEMBER 2009 BOARD REF: STATE 061807 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. During June 17 IAEA Board of Governors deliberations, Iraq requested that an item be added to the September Board meeting agenda that addresses the cooperation between Iraq and the IAEA related to implementation of Iraq's IAEA safeguards obligations. Iraq asked for member states' support for such an agenda item with the end goal of recovering its "natural rights" to establish nuclear programs for peaceful purposes, currently constrained by UNSCR 707 (1991). Iraq's statement recounted its efforts to meet international obligations on disarmament and nonproliferation, including all IAEA obligations, over the last five years. At the Board Chair's prompting, the Director General delivered an immediate response saying the decision is for the Security Council, and that the IAEA is ready to inform the UNSC that Iraq's cooperation is excellent. IAEA/Legal privately clarified to DCM, and later in a more detailed discussion with MsnOff that the Secretariat agreed that it is ultimately the Board's prerogative to decide compliance. However, the Secretariat, including the DG, believe that the formulation of UNSCR 707 (which calls for "full compliance") raises questions about the scope and nature of how the Secretariat should express itself on Iraq in light of the fact that Iraq has yet to bring into force the Additional Protocol and therefore the IAEA cannot certify the "completeness" of Iraq's declarations. The U.S. supported Iraq's call for a September agenda item to underline the responsibility of the Board in determining compliance with safeguards agreements. End Summary. -------------- Iraq Requests An Agenda Item -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Iraqi Ambassador Aqrawi delivered a moving statement at the Board of Governors meeting under the Safeguards Implementation Report agenda item on June 16. He began by thanking the Agency and several Member States for the assistance it has provided on cancer radiotherapy, establishing a nuclear regulator, and decontamination of nuclear sites. He recounted Iraq's efforts to meet international obligations on disarmament and nonproliferation over the last five years, while United Nation Security Council restrictions remained in force constraining Iraq's ability to develop peaceful nuclear programs. Aqrawi said that UNSCR 707 forbids Iraq from carrying out any activity except for use of isotopes for medical, agricultural, or industrial purposes. (Comment: UNSCR 707 says that Iraq must "Halt all nuclear activities of any kind, except for use of isotopes for medical, agricultural or industrial purposes, until the Council determines that Iraq is in full compliance with the present resolution (i.e., UNSCR 707) and with paragraphs 12 and 13 of resolution 687 (1991) and the Agency determines that Iraq is in full compliance with its safeguards agreement with the Agency." End Comment.) ¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Aqrawi reviewed the list of conventions and agreements towards which Iraq has moved over the last five years to illustrate his point, including the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, International Convention to Fight Nuclear Terrorism, and the Code of Conduct for Safety and Security for Radioactive Sources. The Iraqi Ambassador also noted that Iraq no longer had nuclear programs and facilities, as these have been destroyed either through military action or by UN Commission. ¶4. (SBU) Despite UNSCR 1762 (2007) which terminated the mandates of UNMOVIC and the IAEA Iraq Nuclear Verification Office, Iraq said it has yet to recover its natural right to undertake nuclear activities. The technological development of Iraq is hampered by these restrictions, especially in the area of nuclear energy, and "impairs the natural balance." Having met its disarmament obligations, Iraq sought support for exercise of its full rights under the NPT. ¶5. (SBU) Iraq concluded by requesting that an item be added to the September Board agenda that addresses the cooperation between Iraq and the IAEA, and Iraq's observance of its safeguards obligations. -------------- Director General Passes to UNSC -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In an intervention after Iraq spoke, Board Chair Feroukhi questioned what the Board could do as this was a resolution passed at the UN Security Council. DG ElBaradei immediately responded that this is an issue for the Security Council, not the IAEA. ElBaradei said that the Agency is ready to tell the SC that Iraq's cooperation "is excellent in all aspects," and that Iraq has met its obligations with the Agency. As a result, a September agenda item was not needed. He agreed that it was time to lift sanctions and advised Iraq to put this on the Security Council agenda. ¶7. (SBU) Shortly after the DG's intervention, IAEA senior safeguards attorney Laura Rockwood approached DCM in the Board room to clarify that the Board does have a prerogative to decide compliance and that the DG's point was that addressing "full compliance" in Iraq is complicated by the fact that Iraq does not yet have an AP in force that would allow the Agency to draw a broader conclusion about the absence of undeclared activities, i.e., the "completeness" of Iraq's declarations. We shared our proposed statement supporting Iraq (included in para 10 below) with the Secretariat, as our request would be contrary to the DG's remarks. EXPO Director Vilmos Cserveny indicated satisfaction with our formulation, but added skepticism that Iraq would move on the AP before September. ¶8. (SBU) The Japanese Delegation asked about the U.S. intervention and, after receiving the explanation above, is seeking instructions from Tokyo to express support (under the "Any Other Business" agenda item likely to be taken up the afternoon of June 18) for Iraq's request for an agenda item at the September Board ¶9. (SBU) Comment: In a conversation subsequent to Rockwood's approach to DCM, Rockwood and IAEA Legal Advisor Johan Rautenbach confirmed again their understanding of the Board's ultimate prerogatives in expressing a view on closure of noncompliance in cases that the Board had previously reported to the UNSC. They also took note of the relevance of the Iraq case to Iran in this regard. Mission understands, however, that the UNSC can take action to lift restrictions on Iraq's nuclear activities with or without Board action. Mission will continue to monitor Secretariat thinking and approach to the Iraq safeguards/UNSC issue and, unless otherwise instructed, will continue to work toward laying the basis for appropriate Board action. Mission also notes, however, that Rautenbach and Rockwood expressed the view, that they said the DG shared, that it would be wise to ensure that the AP was at least in force in Iraq before UNSCR 707 sanctions are lifted. -------------- U.S. Statement Supporting Iraq -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Below is the text on Iraq from our SIR Statement: Regarding Iraq, we welcome the statement by the Director General that Iraq's cooperation has been excellent. In line with the Board's role and responsibilities, the United States would support the Government of Iraq in its request for an agenda item in September, understanding that the Additional Protocol is an essential element of the international safeguards system. SCHULTE