SYRIA AT MARCH IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING:

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 000083 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/RA (R.NEPHEW/J.DANIEL),IO/T, AND EUR/CE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2020 TAGS: PARM PREL IAEA MNUC SY SZ SUBJECT: SYRIA AT MARCH IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING: SWISS ANTICIPATE MAKING NATIONAL STATEMENT REF: STATE 16530 Classified By: Acting POLE Counselor Chris Buck; reasons 1.4(b) and (d) . ¶1. (U) Poloff delivered reftel message on February 24 to Andreas Friedrich, Head of the Arms Control and Disarmament Section of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Friedrich's deputy, Jean-Daniel Praz, who is the FDFA's coordinator for IAEA issues, joined the meeting. ¶2. (C) Referring to the IAEA's latest report on Syria, Praz highlighted in particular the IAEA's call for Syria to accede to an Additional Protocol. He concurred on the importance of Syria cooperating with the IAEA's ongoing investigation, and said that he anticipates Switzerland will make a national statement to that effect at the March 1-5 IAEA Board of Governors meeting. BEYER