(C) IRAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM: DENMARK "FULLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000064 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/FO:ECATALANO AND ISN/RA:RNEPHEW E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020 TAGS: PARM PREL UNSC IR DA SUBJECT: (C) IRAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM: DENMARK "FULLY SUPPORTS" SANCTIONS, BUT WORRIES ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS REF: STATE 9124 Classified By: Ambassador Laurie S. Fulton; reason 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, MFA Mideast Department Head Michael Lund Jeppesen told Acting DCM February 2 that Denmark "fully supports" sanctions against Iran, and they should be UNSC sanctions. He recalled that Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller has been clear for a long time that the Iranian regime has not been honest in its dealings with the international community. At the same time, Jeppesen made clear Denmark is trying to sharpen its own and the EU's thinking on how to make sanctions effective. He cited two concerns: sanctions typically take a very long time to work (if ever) whereas we do not have the luxury of time; and they tend to hurt the people more than the regime. ¶2. (C) Jeppesen's Iran Section Head Stig Paolo Piras noted that the EU Foreign Affairs Council decided on January 25 to start discussion of what actions the EU could take, but to not get ahead of the UNSC for fear of undercutting the UNSC process. Piras opined that financial sanctions would be most effective, and noted that visiting Treasury DAS Glaser had made that same point during his visit last week. ¶3. (C) The Danish officials stressed the importance of having the best possible outreach to the Iranian people in order to make clear that sanctions are not intended to hurt them. They cited VOA and BBC Farsi services as having wide audiences in Iran. Jeppesen admitted to being uncertain where the Green Movement and the Iranian public stand on nuclear policy. ¶4. (C) Jeppesen noted with concern Ahmedinajad's recent trip to South America, including Brazil. He said the dynamics at the UN climate-change summmit in Copenhagen (COP-15) in December showed that new alliances are forming that warrant careful analysis. FULTON