VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0066 0262110
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 262110Z JAN 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1214
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000066 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC EFIN UNSC PREL MNUC PARM IR
SUBJECT: UNSC IRAN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE FIRST MEETING 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 0176 
 
¶1. (SBU) Iran Sanctions Committee Chairman, Belgian PermRep 
Johan Verbeke, convened the group's first meeting on January 
¶23.  Verbeke said the Committee's role is to facilitate and 
monitor effective implementation of resolution 1737 (2006). 
The Committee should be faithful to the letter and spirit of 
1737, and the unanimous adoption of the resolution by the 
Council gives the Committee a "solid foundation" on which to 
work. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Verbeke said that adoption of Committee guidelines 
would be the first order of business, but he emphasized that 
guidelines work should not prevent the Committee from taking 
decisions on substantive matters.  For example, the Committee 
may need to decide on issues related to exemptions, 
deletions, additions, and violations.  "Guidelines are 
helpful, but not necessary," said Verbeke. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In addition to guidelines, Verbeke highlighted other 
immediate and upcoming tasks on which he intends the 
Committee to focus.  National reports are due to the 
Committee on February 21 and Verbeke plans to write a letter 
to all UN Member States, prior to that date, reminding them 
of their obligation to report on Iran sanctions 
implementation.  In addition, the Committee chairman must 
report to the Security Council by March 23.  Verbeke also 
plans to seek from the IAEA information regarding action 
taken by that organization pursuant to the new resolution, 
specifically with regard to technical assistance. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Verbeke concluded the meeting by stressing that much 
time was lost between the adoption of the resolution and the 
convening of the sanctions committee, and now "we need to 
work with intensity in the coming weeks."  The committee will 
meet "at least once a week." 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Our tentative appraisal after the first 
meeting of the Committee suggests that Verbeke will be an 
effective chair and a helpful partner to the U.S.  REFTEL 
informed us that Belgium's MFA wants Belgium to be "exemplary 
in carrying out the terms of the resolution" because it is 
chairing the Iran Committee.  Verbeke today showed good 
initiative and said the right things.  Verbeke will circulate 
guidelines that USUN helped to draft later this week, and the 
Committee will discuss them on January 30.  As in the North 
Korea Sanctions Committee, we expect extensive and 
unconstructive edits from Russia and China to constrain the 
Committee's substantive work. 
WOLFF