Cablegate: Demarche Urging Goa Not to Sign Iran Agreements

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O 101912Z NOV 09
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TO AMEMBASSY TIRANA IMMEDIATE 0000

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 116029

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PM EAIR IR AL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE URGING GOA NOT TO SIGN IRAN AGREEMENTS

REF: WITHERS-JONES 11-9-09 EMAIL

Classified By: Acting Assistant Secretary Stuart Jones for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Department requests that Embassy Tirana demarche
appropriate GOA officials on an urgent basis, urging the
Albanian Government to reject overtures by the Iranian
Government to sign free trade and cultural exchange
agreements with Iran and establish an Iranian airline hub in
Albania. Please see paragraph 4 for talking points.

BACKGROUND

2. (C) Department understands per ref e-mail that Deputy
Foreign Minister Edith Harxhi told Post that the Iranian
Ambassador to Tirana recently delivered two draft agreements
to Foreign Minister Meta during a courtesy call. Meta was
surprised, however, when the Iranian Ambassador handed him a
free trade agreement and another document which would
establish a cultural agreement and education exchange program
between the two countries. While the Iranian interest in
discussing these issues appears to be long-standing, Harxhi
said the Iranians are currently &pushing8 for signed
agreements.
3. (C) Additionally, Department understands that according to
Harxhi, the Albanian Civil Aviation Agency has been asked by
Albanian Airlines to facilitate flights from Tehran to
Tirana. Harxhi said the director of marketing for Albanian
Airlines is scheduled to travel to Teheran in the near future
to meet with her counterparts. Harxhi said Tehran would like
to use Tirana as a hub for private charter flights to Western
Europe, avoiding the Gulf.

POINTS:

4. (C) Department shares Post's view that the Iranian
Government's overtures are motivated less by economic reasons
and more by Tehran's desire to build political ties with
Albania. Post is requested to draw on the following points in
its demarche:

- Thank the GoA for seeking US input on the proposed Iranian
agreements.

- Iran's overtures to Albania are attempts to create an
impression of political and economic cooperation to distract
the international community from concerns over Iran's nuclear
program.

- Expanding economic cooperation by establishing direct
flights to/from Tirana and Tehran would reinforce Iran's
belief that its current path is acceptable to the
international community, and that Tehran has no reason to
adjust its behavior to fulfill its international obligations.

- Strengthening Albania's ties to Iran would be inconsistent
with Albania's desire for Euro-Atlantic integration. While
other countries have commercial ties to Iran, Albania's
relatively small market size would mean that a few commercial
flights originating/ending in Tirana would create the
impression of a much bigger Iranian footprint in Albania,
particularly if Albania were to embark on a dramatic
expansion of air ties at this time.

- Iran is actively attempting to evade the sanctions the
international community has imposed on it, which it has done
for decades. These attempts include finding new places in
which to conduct business. Albania should avoid the risk
imparted by opening itself up to serving as such a business
hub.

- Moreover, the advent of direct flights between Tirana and
Tehran, and the use of Tirana as an Iranian hub, could expose
Albania to the risk of unwittingly contributing to Iran's
proliferation and/or support for terrorist activities.
Specifically:

Iran has repeatedly demonstrated that it is willing to
use international transportation air, land, and maritime
networks to conduct shipments in violation of UNSCRs 1737,
1747, and 1803.

In 2007, in the wake of the United Nations Security
Council's adoption of UNSCR 1747, Iran attempted to export a
cargo of munitions to Syria via train through Turkey. The
prohibited cargo was discovered only when the train was
derailed by a terrorist attack.

In 2008, UNSCR 1803 cited Iran Air Cargo and the
Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) as entities
whose cargoes to and from Iran should be subjected to
inspections at Member States, seaports and airports,
provided there are reasonable grounds to believe that the
aircraft or vessel is transporting prohibited goods. The
UNSCR was adopted in recognition of the serious risk of Iran
using commercial transportation entities to conduct
proliferation-related shipments of concern.

Just this year, three prohibited Iranian exports of
arms or related materiel on board commercial maritime vessels
of non-Iranian states ) the Cyprus-flagged M/V MONCHEGORSK,
the German-flagged M/V HANSA INDIA, and the Antigua-flagged
M/V FRANCOP ) have been halted thanks to the vigilance of
states alert to Iran's deceptive transportation practices.

Any expansion of Albanian air links to Iran runs the
risk of Albanian territory or flag carriers being ensnared in
illicit Iranian procurement or export-related activities.
Iran has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to use
foreign flag carriers, as well as its own, to conduct
prohibited shipments.

5. (U) Please report results of demarche to Department.
CLINTON

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