US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA589

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, MOPS, IZ, CA, UNSC, Iraq 
SUBJECT: CANADIAN POLITICAL DIRECTOR ON IRAQ 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Brian Flora, 
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: Foreign Affairs Political Director Jim Wright 
told us that the Canadian proposal at the UNSC is not an 
attempt to mediate, but a set of ideas that might help the 
Council focus again on disarmament rather than on internal 
divisions.  Wright appealed for USG public statements to keep 
the focus on Iraqi disarmament rather than on regime change. 
As for a potential Canadian contribution to a military 
campaign against Iraq, Wright said the Canadian policy 
remains unchanged - yes if action is endorsed by the Security 
Council, "to be determined" if not.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) Political Minister Counselor and PolMilOff met with 
Foreign Affairs Political Director Jim Wright on March 3 to 
discuss Iraq.  Wright was defensive about the Canadian 
non-paper at the UNSC on "Bridging the Divide."  He confirmed 
that Canadian PermRep Heinbecker would be meeting that 
afternoon with the 10 non-permanent members of the UNSC 
(E-10), who had asked for an explanation of Canada's ideas. 
Wright said this meeting was completely at the E-10's 
initiative, and that Heinbecker would be in receive mode. 
The E-10, Wright continued, are frustrated that the P-5 are 
unwilling to budge from their positions and are putting the 
onus on the E-10. 
 
3. (C) Wright said that PM Chretien has been in contact with 
Presidents Fox of Mexico (whom he visited last week) and 
Lagos of Chile, both of whom are "intrigued" by the Canadian 
ideas.  He noted that popular opinion was overwhelmingly 
against war in both Mexico and Chile.   Wright said that he 
and other GoC officials have also been in frequent contact 
with France/Germany/Russia about their proposal, and have 
told them it is a non-starter because of being open-ended. 
Wright underscored that the Canadian position is very 
different, as expressed by Heinbecker in his remarks to the 
recent UNSC open meeting.  Canada wants the Security Council 
to consider the full range of options, but the Council needs 
to act quickly. 
 
4. (C) Wright also raised the February 28 White House 
statement that U.S. goals in Iraq included both disarmament 
and regime change.  He noted that Prime Minister Chretien, 
speaking in Mexico City immediately after the White House 
statement, had been asked by a reporter about regime change 
being a U.S. goal in Iraq.  Chretien responded that this was 
a dangerous concept, and that "if you start changing regimes, 
where do you stop?"  Wright said that Chretien had been put 
in an awkward position, but that talk of regime change would 
not be helpful in the Security Council, and urged us to keep 
the focus on disarmament.  Wright praised a speech by 
Ambassador Cellucci and an interview with Deputy Secretary 
Armitage, both televised by the CBC on February 28, as 
hitting all the right notes on Iraq. 
 
5. (C) On Canadian military participation in Iraq, Wright 
said the GoC position has been consistent throughout.  Canada 
has supported U.S. efforts to bring pressure to bear on Iraq, 
but it also wants the UNSC to live up to its unique 
responsibilities.  For Canada to now say that it would 
participate militarily, on the eve of a potential UN 
decision, would be very odd.  Wright urged us to be patient, 
and said that the GoC would quickly make its decision once 
the Council has acted. 
 
6. (C) COMMENT: The GoC is relishing its chance to encourage 
consensus at the UNSC, however unlikely that might be. 
Canada has heard our message, from President Bush on down, 
that its proposal is too little, too late.  But 
multilateralism is an article of faith in Ottawa, and the GoC 
believes it is defending the authority of the United Nations. 
 So long as Security Council members are willing to listen, 
Canada will continue trying to "bridge the divide." 
CELLUCCI