Cablegate: Australia Shares American Position On the Tehran

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OO RUEHBC RUEHKUK RUEHTRO
DE RUEHBY #0142 0570532
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260532Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2706
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH PRIORITY 5268
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY PRIORITY 5281
RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE PRIORITY 7001
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0412

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000142

SIPDIS

STATE FOR ISN/RA RICHARD NEPHEW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IRAS AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA SHARES AMERICAN POSITION ON THE TEHRAN
RESEARCH REACTOR

REF: STATE 15979

1. (U) The Australian government's position on the Tehran
Research Reactor is in complete agreement with that of the
United States. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's
Marnie Wright of the Middle East Section quoted the recent
press release, February 8, of Foreign Minister Smith:
"President Ahmadinejad's call on 7 February for Iran to begin
enriching uranium to 20% is a serious provocation and a clear
breach of UN Security Council resolutions...Australia also
regarded the IAEA's proposal to exchange Iran's low-enriched
uranium for processed fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor as
a historic opportunity to reverse the path of confrontation
with the international community... We urge Iran to accept
the Tehran Research Reactor proposal, take concrete steps to
build trust and confidence over its nuclear intentions and
seize the opportunity for a fundamental change in Iran's
dealing with the international community."

2. (U) Wright also told us that the same press release made
clear that "Australia stands ready to support tough new
measures against Iran, including additional UN Security
Council sanctions and autonomous sanctions" in the absence of
Iran's positive engagement with the IAEA and the P5 1.

BLEICH

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