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C O N F I D E N T I A L UNVIE VIENNA 000123 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR ISN/MNSA, VCI/NA, L/ACV, IO/UNP, IO/T 
GENEVA FOR CD DEL 
DOE FOR NN-40 
JCS FOR J5/DDIN 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP, ATSD/NCB/NT AND DTRA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2019 
TAGS: AORC KTBT PARM CTBT KPAL IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL CONSIDERING PALESTINE OBSERVERSHIP AT THE 
CTBTO 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Gregory Schulte, Reason 1.5 (B and D) 
 
 ¶1. (C) Summary: Following up discussions with incoming 
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Prepcom Chair Australia, 
Israeli Ambassador Michaeli met March 19 with DCM to review 
the long-standing issue of Palestinian observership and to 
float the idea of "package deal" in which Israel might 
acquiesce to Palestinian Authority (PA)  observership at 
CTBTO in exchange for progress on Israel's position within 
the MESA group (the MESA group has never met, due to Iran's 
refusal to sit together with Israel) and the activation of 
CTBT monitoring stations in the Middle East.  Michaeli 
speculated that Prepcom Chair Australia was pushing the 
suggestion of a "package deal" in the hope this might help to 
save the Prepcom from getting bogged down on the observer 
issue, even if any resolution is still years away. 
Emphasizing that he was speaking without instructions at a 
time of government flux in Jerusalem, Michaeli suggested that 
a US demarche on Israel might be helpful to ensure that the 
Australian idea gets a serious hearing inside the GOI.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Israeli Ambassador to the CTBTO and IAEA Israel 
Michaeli asked to see DCM on March 19 to review dynamics with 
the Arab group in both organizations.  On the latter, 
Michaeli was concerned about the improbability of another 
successful parliamentary maneuver to deal with Egyptian moves 
against Israel at the IAEA General Conference, and welcomed 
the prospect of early bilateral engagement on our strategy 
(see sep email to ISN/RA).  Regarding CTBTO, Michaeli wanted 
to share with us his recent conversations with incoming CTBTO 
Prepcom Chairman Peter Shannon of Australia.  Michaeli 
reported that Shannon had called on him looking for Israeli 
flexibility on the long outstanding question of Palestinian 
observership, which Israel and the US have opposed in the 
past.  Michaeli noted that in addition to the Palestinian 
question, Israel has two other areas of concern.  The first 
is the continued failure of the MESA group to meet, due to 
Iran's refusal to sit together with Israel.  The second is 
the gap in International Monitoring System (IMS) coverage in 
the Middle East (and on into South Asia).  Egypt has never 
started work on its IMS station.  Iran has completed some 
stations but does not report data.  Saudi Arabia is dragging 
its feet.    Pakistan and India do not participate. 
Responding to these issues, Michaeli said, Ambassador Shannon 
raised the possibility of a "package deal" in which Israel 
might look the other way on PA observership, in exchange for 
movement on MESA and Middle East IMS stations (with MESA 
being much more important for Israel).  These intertwined 
issues will never be solved by the Prepcom in June, Michaeli 
added, but "perhaps we could create a process." 
 
¶3. (C) Emphasizing that he had absolutely no mandate from 
Jerusalem to pursue this issue, Michaeli confided that "I 
believe I can convince people to discuss a package 
seriously."  To make that more likely, he added, it would be 
helpful for Washington to convey in Jerusalem the view that 
the question of Palestine at the CTBTO merits attention and 
might be worth addressing in the context of trying to manage 
other Arab-Israeli issues in Vienna. Michaeli told AC Couns 
on March 24 that he now had the go ahead from his MFA to move 
on this proposal, without making any formal commitments.  He 
agreed that it was very difficult to believe Iran would 
accept the proposal, since they really do not want a 
resolution of the issue.  However, we (and Australia) see 
merit in this package deal as a means of putting the onus on 
 
others for the lack of resolution on Middle East issues 
inside CTBTO. 
 
¶4. (C) Comment and Action Request: The issue of Palestinian 
observership at the CTBTO is a side show in Vienna that has 
little practical importance for the work we do here.  It 
does, however, help to poison an already difficult 
Arab-Israeli dynamic across the Vienna international 
organizations.  As we look to rebuild a climate of consensus 
on difficult issues like Iran and the IAEA budget, the 
Australian idea of a package deal on Palestinian observership 
may be worth a second look in Washington and Jerusalem. 
Ambassador Michaeli (strictly protect) clearly would welcome 
some US encouragement in this direction and UNVIE recommends 
consideration of a demarche by Embassy Tel Aviv to encourage 
creativity in addressing these Vienna issues. End Comment. 
 
SCHULTE