(SBU) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON PORTUGAL'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 008682 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2035 TAGS: PINR ETRD EUN PGOV PREL IR PO SUBJECT: (SBU) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON PORTUGAL'S POLICY TOWARD IRAN SANCTIONS (C-RE9-02696) REF: A. LISBON 000518 ¶B. LISBON 000238 ¶C. LISBON 000598 ¶D. LISBON 000531 ¶E. LISBON 000401 ¶F. LISBON 000495 ¶G. LISBON 000146 Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS ¶1. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE CLOSELY FOLLOWING PORTUGAL'S POLICY REGARDING SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN. WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN HOW PORTUGAL'S GOVERNMENT IS MAKING DECISIONS ON THIS TOPIC, WHAT FACTORS AFFECT DECISIONMAKING, AND WHAT GROUPS WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE DECISIONMAKING MOST. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADDITIONAL REPORTING ON THIS TOPIC, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. ¶A. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) ARE DECISIONS ON THIS TOPIC MADE SOLELY BY PRIME MINISTER JOSE SOCRATES OR FOREIGN MINISTER LUIS AMADO, OR IS THERE A TEAM OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MAKING DECISIONS? IF MULTIPLE OFFICIALS ARE INVOLVED IN DECISIONMAKING ON THIS TOPIC, WHICH OFFICIALS AND WHAT LEVEL OF INFLUENCE DOES EACH HAVE? WHAT ARE THE INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS AMONG THE DECISIONMAKERS? ¶B. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) HAS LISBON DETERMINED ITS POLICY ON ADDITIONAL UNILATERAL SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN, OR IS IT STILL FORMULATING THE POLICY? ¶C. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) ARE THERE ANY DISAGREEMENTS AMONG PORTUGAL'S MINISTRIES ON LISBON'S IRAN SANCTIONS POLICY? ¶D. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) TO WHAT EXTENT ARE OTHER FACTORS, SUCH AS PORTUGAL'S ECONOMIC INTERESTS, THE VIEW OF THE MAJORITY OF EU MEMBERS, OR REGIONAL STABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, PLAYING A ROLE IN DECISIONMAKING REGARDING PORTUGUAL'S IRAN SANCTIONS POLICY? ¶E. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) LISBON HAS SOUGHT TO MAINTAIN TIES WITH IRAN WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING EU SANCTIONS. ARE PORTUGUESE LEADERS CONCERNED ABOUT INCONSISTENT POLICY OR REACTION FROM EU PARTNERS AND DOMESTIC POLITICAL RIVALS? ¶F. (C/NF) WHAT SIGNS, IF ANY, INDICATE THAT PORTUGAL IS BECOMING MORE OR LESS SUPPORTIVE OF EU SANCTIONS? WHY DOES POST JUDGE LISBON DOES NOT TAKE A MORE OUTSPOKEN STANCE ON SANCTIONS? ¶G. (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) ARE PORTUGUESE BUSINESS GROUPS LOBBYING FOR LISBON TO TAKE A MORE DEFENSIVE POSITION ON SANCTIONS? MORE SPECIFICALLY, WHO ARE THESE GROUPS TARGETING WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-02696 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON