Cablegate: Demarche Response: Existence of Covert Uranium Enrichment Facility in Iran

VZCZCXRO9318
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHTRO #0777 2741608
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 011608Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5315
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0842
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 5862

UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000777

SENSITIVE SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/MAG AND ISN/RA (RICHARD NEPHEW) E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: IR KNNP MNUC PARM FR LY

SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: EXISTENCE OF COVERT URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY IN IRAN REF: STATE 100153

1.(SBU) P/E Chief delivered reftel demarche jointly with the French DCM (at Embassy of France's request) to the Deputy Director of the Libyan MFA's International Organizations Office, Murat Humaima, on September 30. Humaima responded that Libya was unequivocally against nuclear enrichment for military purposes and was supportive of nonproliferation goals. The best evidence of that, he said, was Libya's unilateral decision in 2003 to dismantle its Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs. Humaima said that while he had not heard from the Iranian side on the issue, he expected the Iranians to reach out to convey an explanation of their activities. After proper review, he said, Libya would be able to take proper action vis-a-vis the Iranians.

2.(SBU) Humaima expressed Libya's strong position against the use of sanctions to address breaches of international obligations; rather, such situations must be resolved through discussion and diplomacy. He said that the October 1 meeting of the P5+1 in Geneva to discuss the issue was the right approach. The GOL believes the matter belongs to the IAEA and should not be addressed within the UN Security Council context. The GOL is, however, supportive of POTUS's initiatives on nonproliferation as articulated during the September 24 UNSC meeting.

3.(SBU) UK DCM informed P/E Chief separately September 30 that he had delivered the same demarche the previous day. While the GOL response was largely the same, his interlocutor had not mentioned the GOL position against sanctions. CRETZ

© Scoop Media