MOBILIZING PRESSURE ON IRAN REGARDING NUCLEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 000179 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020 TAGS: PARM PREL UNSC IR UP SUBJECT: MOBILIZING PRESSURE ON IRAN REGARDING NUCLEAR PROGRAM REF: STATE 9124 Classified By: DCM James Pettit. Reasons 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) Ambassador February 1 drew on reftel points to explain to Deputy Foreign Minister Volodymyr Khandogiy the US rationale for sharpening the choices that Iran faces by increasing pressure on Iran. Khandogiy expressed general agreement and observed that Ukraine is "very much concerned about what is going on" in Iran. He added that since Ukraine gave up in the 1990s what was the world's third largest nuclear arsenal, it is a fundamental principle for the GOU that "no further nuclear state emerges." India and Pakistan had been setbacks. There should be no others. ¶2. (C) Khandogiy said that the GOU would support "any meaningful messages" to pressure Iran. He underlined that Ukraine believes that multilateral mechanisms like the UN represent the best way to deal with the Iran nonproliferation problem. He understood from the Ukrainian Mission in New York that China was not being helpful in efforts to put pressure on Tehran. Khandogiy said he would welcome further sharing of information, particularly regarding how efforts are proceeding at the UN. TEFFT