HUNGARIAN VIEWS ON PRESSURING IRAN ON HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUDAPEST 000088 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/IR MICHAEL SPRING AND BRIANNE MARWAHA, DRL/NESCA JILL HUTCHINGS, P, EUR/CE JAMIE MOORE, AND NSC JEFF HOVENIER E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM IR HU SUBJECT: HUNGARIAN VIEWS ON PRESSURING IRAN ON HUMAN RIGHTS REF: SECSTATE 12108 Classified By: Political Officer Jon Martinson, reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) PolOff delivered reftel points to the MFA's Ambassador-at-Large for Human Rights Istvan Lakatos February 8 and to the MFA's Iranian Desk Officer Ferenc Kato February ¶10. Lakatos expressed Hungary's support and agreement with the reftel points, specifically underscoring that Hungary does not support Iran's membership in the Human Rights Council. He noted that he maintains a close relationship with the Bahai community in Hungary, which has a very active human rights program in Iran. Lakatos suggested a meeting with the Iranian Desk Officer, which he views as more focused on maintaining good relations with Iran and less concerned about human rights violations. ¶2. (C) In a follow-on meeting, Kato told PolOff that three views on Iran exist in the MFA: the Human Rights Department's position outlined above; the Security and Non-proliferation Department's "hard-line" position focused on Iran's nuclear programs; and the Middle East Department's more "pragmatic" approach. That said, Kato commented that although Iran has pressed "for better relations at no cost," human rights concerns are always a key factor in responding to Iranian overtures. Continuing, Kato said that the Iranians recently asked approval for their Deputy Foreign Minister to travel to Budapest with the one condition that he meet with Hungarian Foreign Minister Balazs. Kato said the MFA turned down the request as it viewed the visit as only a "photo opportunity" to enhance Iran's international image. Asked if the MFA has ever summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Hungary to the MFA, Kato said yes, commenting that the Ambassador was called to the MFA in December 2009 to meet with Political Director Gabor Iklody who expressed Hungary's concerns over the Iranian government's violent response to demonstrations in the capital. ¶3. (C) Comment. Kato, a former Ambassador to Nigeria, acknowledged concerns with human rights issues, but expressed his view that maintaining "good relations" with Iran is an important goal, specifically citing trade opportunities as well as the presence of several hundred Iranian university students studying in Hungary, which he noted is the second largest international student presence following Israelis. The reference to Political Director Iklody's convocation of the Iranian Ambassador may characterize senior MFA leadership styles, as Kato confided that State Secretary Laszlo Varkonyi, who has overall responsibility for the Middle East, always "likes to put on a smiling face" and therefore left the tough message to Iklody. Referring to the four-person Hungarian Embassy in Teheran, Kato said that they are basically in the "observer mode," with very little interaction with higher-level Iranian officials. End comment KOUNALAKIS