SINGAPORE ASSESSES NAM DYNAMICS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001124 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2019 TAGS: PREL PARM SN EG SUBJECT: SINGAPORE ASSESSES NAM DYNAMICS ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND THE NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE REF: USUN 1060 Classified By: Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. A delegate with the Singapore Mission to the UN on December 14 provided USUN with a summary of a meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which was chaired by Egypt and meant to provide the Iranian delegation an opportunity to present its case before NAM members on its "peaceful" nuclear program. The delegate said the Iranian Permanent Representative delivered Iran's points, which he described as "technical" and "legalistic," and to which most NAM members unfamiliar with Iran's case found no reason to object. No outcome document or paper was presented at this meeting. The Singaporean official also analyzed the dynamics in the NAM in the lead-up to the NPT Review Conference in 2010 and judged that a small group in the NAM aims to defend Iran's nuclear program to shift the focus away from Iran and onto Israel as the key nuclear proliferation issue in the Middle East. India and South Africa, he said, may prove helpful in guiding the NAM to more moderate positions, but only if pushed and engaged early. Although unlikely, the NAM might consider a consolidated position for the Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Washington. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Poloff on December 14 met with Singapore First Secretary Jonathan Tow--the third meeting in less than one month (reftel)--to discuss the attempts by Iran and a cohort of NAM members (namely Egypt, Cuba, Syria and Venezuela) to push an extremist position in the NAM regarding nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, a position that is out of step with the opinions of many moderate NAM states. Tow requested the meeting to provide a summary of the NAM Coordinating Bureau meeting, which was held on December 10 at the UN. Egyptian Perm Rep Maged Abdelaziz chaired the meeting, which gave Iran an opportunity to present to NAM members its case for its "peaceful" nuclear program. Iranian Perm Rep Mohammad Khazaee presented what Tow described as a technical and legalistic briefing, leaving the moderate states in attendance, who were unfamiliar with Iran's nuclear file, little opportunity to object. Tow said the attendees were in listening mode, no debate took place, and no document was circulated for consideration or adoption. �00A; ¶3. (C) Despite Egypt's apparent support for Iran's presentation, however, the Egyptian Perm Rep pointedly asked the Iranian why Iran had so defiantly announced the planned construction of ten additional enrichment sites following the IAEA Board of Governors' resolution on November 27, which censured Iran's nuclear program. Tow said the Iranian Perm Rep seemed "stunned" by the question and could not provide an adequate response. Iranian press was stationed outside the meeting room, and Tow said that despite the apparent discreetness of the event, it was clearly staged to show that Iran had ample support among the NAM membership. He said that Egypt's Perm Rep seemed irritated by Iran's premeditated attempt at publicity. Following the meeting, Tow said he spoke with Iranian Perm Rep Khazaee and asked him what Iran would consider a successful NPT RevCon. He said Khazaee responded, "No double standards," an indication that Iran would not settle for an indictment of its nuclear program while Israel's nuclear program and non-signatory status were left unexamined. Tow said Iran ended its presentation by emphasizing that the Middle East was threatened not so much by Iran but by "Israel's possession of nuclear weapons and its refusal to be part of the NPT." ¶4. (C) Tow said that in preparing for the NPT RevCon, Egypt and other NAM members will defend Iran, not because its case is convincing but because it provides negotiating leverage. He judged that Egypt "does not buy the Iranian argument" and its procedural support of Iran in the NAM is a "marriage of convenience." "It is all show," he said, "and it is geared toward a balanced Middle East issue for the RevCon." In spite of the frequent references to Israel's non-signatory status, Tow said that attendees never mentioned India or Pakistan during the meeting, and he noted that he has never attended a NAM meeting where the issue of these two non-signatory states is raised. ¶5. (C) Regarding India, Poloff asked if India--notwithstanding its never having signed the NPT--could be a moderate and helpful voice in the NAM during Iran- and NPT-related discussions. Tow said that India can "throw its USUN NEW Y 00001124 002 OF 002 weight around" and usually takes a tough stand on Iran's nuclear program. In addition, he said South Africa is a major player whose NAM credentials are strong, and he assessed that the new Zuma government would be more favorable to engagement with the U.S. However, Tow said that as with many disarmament experts based in Geneva, the South Africans based there likely will be in a traditional mindset and antagonistic to a changed environment. Because of that, he recommended we and others approach the South Africans in capital, rather than Geneva. ¶6. (C) Tow said the Cuban representative at the NAM Coordinating Bureau meeting requested that those NAM states planning to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in April 2010 brief the non-attending NAM states on the substance of discussions. Cuba requested that members consider drafting a NAM position paper to deliver at the Summit and specifically asked Egypt to deliver the NAM position (if one is forthcoming). Tow, however, judged it unlikely that the Coordinating Bureau would agree to a NAM position for the Summit. RICE