Cablegate: Iran: Unsc Mulls Sanctions Implementation, Iaea

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OO RUEHTRO
DE RUCNDT #0834/01 2571242
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O 141242Z SEP 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7175
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHII/VIENNA IAEA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM MNUC ETTC KNNP IR UNSC
SUBJECT: IRAN: UNSC MULLS SANCTIONS IMPLEMENTATION, IAEA
REPORT

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1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 9, the chair of the Iran
Sanctions Committee briefed the UN Security Council on the
Committee's activities over the previous ninety days,
highlighting in particular a final round of letters and the
publishing of an "Implementation Assistance Notice" to
respond to reported sanctions violations. The UK and France
both pointed to troubling findings in the IAEA Director
General's latest report, in particular Iran's failure to end
proliferation sensitive nuclear activities, and welcomed the
Committee's work to respond to sanctions violations. Russia
drew attention to positive elements in the IAEA report and
said there should be no decisions on next steps until Iran's
counter-offer to the recent proposal for dialogue can be
studied thoroughly. China expressed hope that Iran steps up
cooperation to resolve outstanding issues raised in the IAEA
report. Ambassador Rice noted that the P-5 1 had still not
received a constructive response to its offer of dialogue,
then highlighted sect
ions of the IAEA report that showed Iran was not in
compliance with its international obligations. She welcomed
the Committee's recent work and encouraged it to remain
vigilant. END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) On September 9, Japanese Perm Rep Takasu, chair of
the Security Council's Iran Sanctions Committee ("1737
Committee"), briefed the Council in closed consultations on
the Committee's activities over the previous ninety days
(June 16 through September 9). He spoke of the Committee's
letters to two Member States involved in a transfer of
arms-related material in violation of paragraph 5 of
resolution 1747 (2007). (NOTE: This incident involved the
M/V Monchegorsk, a Cypriot-flagged vessel found shipping
arms-related materiel from Iran to Syria. END NOTE). Takasu
noted that these letters had recalled these states'
obligations under the UN Charter. He highlighted the
Committee's approval and publication on its website of an
"Implementation Assistance Notice" about the incident, which
contained information that might be useful to Member State
states in implementing their obligations under the relevant
resolutions. Takasu also updated the Council on other
routine business of the Committee and the number of
implementation reports the Committee had received from Member
States.

3. (SBU) UK Perm Rep Sawers welcomed the 1737 Committee's
willingness to review "lessons learned" in the course of its
work to improve implementation of the Iran sanctions
resolutions, highlighting in particular the Committee's
publication of an "Implementation Assistance Notice about the
Monchegorsk incident as helpful. He said the most recent
report by the IAEA Director General made clear that Iran
continues to fail to meet its international obligations and
expanded on the report's findings about outstanding questions
regarding a military dimension to Iran's nuclear program.
Sawers called the latest offer of dialogue with Iran
"generous," but said that if Iran continues to isolate
itself, then the international community must remain
determined to maintain pressure.

4. (SBU) France Perm Rep Araud also pointed to the IAEA
report, observing that no country had ever begun a civil
nuclear program with the enrichment of uranium ("it's as if
you bought the gasoline before you bought the car!"). He
criticized Iran's refusal to grant the IAEA access to people
and sites needed to verify the non-military dimensions of its
nuclear program. Araud underscored the need for full
implementation of sanctions and noted in this context the
Committee's investigation into the Monchegorsk incident, as
well as Iran's reported role in the violation of the North
Korea sanctions regime. If Iran does not revaluate its
behavior, Araud said, then the international community must
draw conclusions and shoulder its responsibilities
accordingly.

5. (SBU) Russian Deputy Perm Rep Dolgov asserted that the
Committee's work must be focused on the international
community's sole goal: resolving questions about Iran's
nuclear program by exclusively non-military means. He said
that this Council session was not the place to discuss the
IAEA report, as discussions were already underway on this
topic in Vienna. Noting references to the report by other
Council members, Dolgov insisted that the report was "not
unambiguous" and had positive elements that could not be
ignored. He added that clear signals had been received that
a formal response from Tehran to the offer of dialogue would
be sent soon. When received, Dolgov said, Russia will study
the offer closely. "We're not in favor of pre-deciding next
steps, such as the strengthening of sanctions," he asserted,"

USUN NEW Y 00000834 002.2 OF 002

until we've had a chance to first study the proposal.

6. (SBU) Chinese Counselor La expressed hope that Iran could
step up its cooperation with the IAEA and resolve the issues
raised in the recent report. He said he wished the Committee
to play a constructive role in this regard.

7. (SBU) Ambassador Rice noted that the P-5 1 had still not
received a "constructive response" from Iran to its offer to
engage in direct talks on the nuclear issue. She added that
any response would be reviewed seriously. Rice also
highlighted the most troubling findings of the IAEA report,
notably Iran's ongoing refusal to suspend
proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities, and said that
limited steps Iran had taken recently to respond to the
international community's concerns "fell well short" of
Iran's obligations. She said that Iran's refusal to comply
with its obligations reinforced the critical work of the 1737
Committee, adding that the United States urges the Committee
to remain vigilant.
RICE

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