US embassy cable - 05PARIS5032

S E C R E T PARIS 005032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015 
TAGS: IR, EU, KNNP, PREL, PARM, FR, IAEA, Iran/EU3, Non-Proliferation 
SUBJECT: IRAN/EU3: LETTER FROM U/S BURNS AND U/S JOSEPH TO 
EU3 POLDIRS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 127657 
 
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Josiah Rosenblatt for Rea 
sons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S) SUMMARY:  Post delivered letter from U/S Burns and 
U/S Joseph to MFA Director for Political and Security Affairs 
Stanislas LeFebvre de Laboulaye on July 11.  In a follow-up 
conversation on July 19 with Nicolas Roche of the MFA 
Directorate for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, 
Roche explained that the French were not informed prior to 
the removal of the Esfahan seals; that Paris has sent 
instructions to their mission in Vienna to meet with EU3 
partners and later the U.S. to discuss the matter; and that 
the GOF is working to ensure that such lapses do not occur 
again. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (S)  Roche explained that the French had received the 
same information that was outlined in U/Ss Burns and Joseph's 
letter after the seals at the Esfahan Uranium Conversion 
Facility (UCF) had been removed.  He said that the fact that 
the EU3 were not informed concerned them and that Paris has 
sent word to their mission in Vienna to interface with their 
UK and German colleagues to assess their reaction.  After EU3 
consultations, he said, U.S. representatives in Vienna would 
be contacted (this, he estimated, would take place in the 
coming few days).  He said that France learned of the 
incident from the IAEA itself but had never been consulted 
prior to the seals coming off. Evidently, he said, the 
decision to allow the seals to be removed was the result of 
some dealings that took place privately between the IAEA and 
Iran.  While the French intend on coordinating with their EU 
partners before taking any action, he said that the French 
perspective was one of dissatisfaction with the IAEA's 
procedures and their decision and that the French would like 
to approach IAEA Deputy Director Olli Heinonen to find out 
how this could have happened and ensure that it does not 
happen again.  Assuming other EU3 members are on board, the 
message France would like to convey to the IAEA is that in 
the future any dealings with the Iranians involving the 
potential use of nuclear-related equipment must include all 
parties to the negotiations. 
 
3.  (C)  Roche said that it will be the experts in Vienna who 
must determine what activities were undertaken at the UCF, 
but that it was his understanding that the seals were removed 
by the inspectors themselves and that the Iranians conducted 
maintenance that did not involve the use or production of any 
radioactive material.  While France is concerned and wants to 
ensure that similar exceptions are not made in the future, 
they do not plan on making any formal presentation accusing 
the Iranians of wrongdoing because they feel it would hurt 
their chances of having successful Iran-EU3 negotiations.  He 
added that, according to the IAEA, Iran is currently under 
full, complete and verified suspension.  It was an isolated 
incident, Roche said, one that must not happen again, but as 
far as taking Iran to task on it, he said he considered the 
issue to be closed. 
STAPLETON