US embassy cable - 03BRUSSELS5596

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 005596 
 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/NGA, NP/RA AND EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2008 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, KNNP, AA 
SUBJECT: EU-IRAN:  SOLANA'S JANUARY TRIP TO TEHRAN 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 5536 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: USEU POLOFF LEE LITZENBERGER; REASON 1.5, (B,D) 

SOLANA TRIP TO IRAN:  KEEPING TEHRAN ON BOARD 
-------------------------- 
1.  (C)  EU FM'S ON DECEMBER 9 INVITED EU HIGH REP SOLANA TO 
VISIT TEHRAN IN JANUARY TO DISCUSS ALL ASPECTS OF EU 
RELATIONS WITH IRAN.  ACCORDING TO BJORN LARRSON, SOLANA'S 
IRAN/IRAQ POLICY ADVISOR (PROTECT), SOLANA WILL TRAVEL TO 
TEHRAN IN THE SECOND HALF OF JANUARY IN PART TO FOLLOW UP ON 
THE EU-3 INITIATIVE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, AS REPORTED 
REFTEL.  LARSSON SAID THAT THE EU-3 COUNTRIES WERE AS EAGER 
TO PASS THE ISSUE ON TO SOLANA AS THE EU-12 WERE IN HAVING IT 
PASSED.  HAVING SOLANA FOLLOW UP IS ONLY LOGICAL, LARSSON 
SAID.  THE IRANIANS ALWAYS INTERPRETED THE EU-3 TRIP AS AND 
EU INITIATIVE.  ANOTHER REASON FOR SOLANA'S TRIP, ACCORDING 
TO LARSSON, IS SIMPLY TO KEEP THE IRANIANS "ENGAGED" UNTIL 
THE NEXT IAEA REPORT IS ISSUED IN FEBRUARY.  LARSSON SAID 
THAT IAEA DG EL BARADEI HAS TOLD SOLANA THAT HE IS VERY KEEN 
FOR THE EU TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH IRAN. 
 
ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TO RESUME TCA 
--------------------- 
2.  (C)  LARSSON SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE EU WELCOMED THE NEWS 
DECEMBER 12 THAT IRAN WILL SIGN THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL, THAT 
PROBABLY WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE EU TO RESUME TRADE 
AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH TEHRAN.  "SIGNING 
THE AGREEMENT IS ONE THING; IT'S THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT 
COUNTS AND THAT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME," HE SAID. 
 
IRANIANS WANT TCA RESUMED 
---------------- 
3.  (C)  LARSSON SAID THAT IRAN REALLY WANTS THE TCA TALKS 
RESUMED -- THE DECISION BY EU FM'S ON DECEMBER 8 NOT TO 
RESUME THESE TALKS WAS WHAT TRIGGERED TEHRAN TO CANCEL NEXT 
WEEK'S UPCOMING COMPREHENSIVE DIALOGUE (REFTEL).  HE 
INDICATED THAT THE EU WOULD HOLD OUT ON RESCHEDULING THE TCA 
TALKS UNTIL IRAN DELIVERS SOMETHING MAJOR -- SUCH AS AGREEING 
TO PERMANENTLY END -- VICE SUSPEND -- ITS URANIUM ENRICHMENT 
PROGRAM.  HOWEVER, HE NOTED, THE EU HAS EXPLICITLY NOT SET 
ANY SPECIFIC BENCHMARKS FOR RESUMING THE TCA TALKS.  TO DO SO 
WOULD ONLY ENCOURAGE IRANIAN BARGAINING TO TRY TO STRIKE A 
BETTER DEAL. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
4.  (C)  CURRENTLY, IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS AT THE 
FOREFRONT OF EU-IRANIAN POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS, WITH FRANCE 
TAKING ONE OF THE TOUGHEST LINES AMONG EU MEMBERS.  WE ALSO 
NOTE THAT THERE ARE OTHER POLITICAL CONDITIONALITIES THAT THE 
EU HAS PLACED ON IRAN:  HUMAN RIGHTS, ANTI-TERRORISM AND 
SUPPORT FOR MID-EAST PEACE.  IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT THE EU 
WOULD BE INCLINED TO GIVE THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT A PASSING 
GRADE IN ANY OF THESE OTHER AREAS AT THIS TIME. 
 
 
FOSTER