VZCZCXRO4501
PP RUEHDIR
DE RUEHC #6354/01 1551440
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041431Z JUN 07
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 7816
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1002
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 5627
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 3434
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 8541
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 3736
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI PRIORITY 0006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 076354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KPAO IR
SUBJECT: SURVEYING FRIENDLY COUNTRIES ON THEIR IRAN CIVIL 
SOCIETY AND DEMOCRACY PROGRAMMING 
 
REF: STATE 2659 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request; see paragraph 3. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶2. Begin Background. 
 
(U) Through its Freedom Agenda and diplomatic engagement with 
like-minded governments and NGOs, the Department is engaging 
in programs throughout Iran to promote civil society, respect 
for human rights, and freedom of information.  Congress 
authorized $94.32 million in FY06 to help fund various 
programming initiatives in Iran, a number which the 
Department expects to increase in future years. 
 
(U) The State Department's Fiscal Year 2006 (FY06) budget 
allocation for Iran consisted of $28.22 million from the 
regular FY06 Foreign Operations Bill, plus an additional 
$66.1 million from the FY06 Supplemental Budget, for a total 
of $94.32 million in 2006. 
 
(U) The $28.22 million from the regular budget was allocated 
as follows: $17.62 million to the Broadcasting Board of 
Governors (BBG) for television and radio broadcasting into 
Iran; $500,000 for operational and internet outreach costs 
for the Department's expanded Iran operations; $100,000 for 
renewed people-to-people exchanges with Iran (see more 
information below on ECA programs); and a $10 million soft 
earmark (minimum spending threshold) for democracy 
programming in Iran.  On this last item, the Department's 
actual democracy programming obligation was $11.15 million 
from the regular budget - $4.15 million from the Bureau of 
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) plus $7 million from 
the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs' Middle East Partnership 
Initiative (MEPI). 
 
(U) The $66.1 million supplemental budget was allocated as 
follows: $27 million to NEA/MEPI for additional Iran 
democracy programs; $36.1 million to the BBG for expanded 
broadcasting via Radio Farda and Voice of America Persian 
Television; $5 million to the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs (ECA) for cultural and educational 
exchanges; and $5 million to the Bureau of International 
Information Policy (IIP) for increased internet access and 
presence in Iran, including resources to expand the State 
Department's Persian website. 
 
(U) Paralleling but distinct from our democratization 
efforts, at President Bush,s direction, we have resumed 
people-to-people educational, cultural and professional 
exchanges with Iran.  ECA is using the $5 million it received 
from the FY06 supplemental budget to re-engage the Iranian 
people.  After a hiatus of more than a quarter century, our 
focus is to promote greater mutual understanding, and to 
provide Iranians with exposure to U.S. society, institutions 
and values.  Exchanges began last year and included the 
successful visit of a group of Iranian medical professionals 
to the U.S.  This year we have already had visits by a group 
of Iranian artists and a group of disaster relief specialists 
participate in these programs.  Initially funded with 
supplemental monies, future educational and cultural 
exchanges with Iran will be supported through ECA,s annual 
appropriation. 
 
(U) Given the substantial Iran funding in the FY06 
Supplemental Budget, the State Department will not expend 
FY07 budget funds on Iran until FY06 funds have been 
exhausted.  We also expect an increase in Iran funding for 
democracy promotion programs in the FY08 budget, which is 
currently being negotiated. 
 
(U) The USG's Iran democracy programs aim to develop 
democratic values, support human rights, build civil society, 
provide the Iranian people with access to unbiased 
information; and promote understanding of Western culture. 
Projects target influential democratic actors and groups, 
including labor, women, and students.  Key goals for these 
programs include: expanding the reach of Radio Farda by 
 
STATE 00076354  002 OF 002 
 
 
contracting for another radio transmitter to overcome Iranian 
jamming; expanding Voice of America Persian Television to 
operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; promoting competitive, 
independent, and professional television and radio content 
production; utilizing innovative technologies to communicate 
with the Iranian people for the development of innovative Web 
content (e.g. children's programming), use of SMS, and pod 
casting; providing communication tools for activists, 
including internet communication and training for 
journalists; helping Iranians conduct civic education 
campaigns that develop an understanding of rights and 
responsibilities under a democracy; supporting human rights 
defenders, rule of law, and justice programs; supporting 
civil society development and network building, including 
independent labor; and supporting efforts to document human 
rights abuses by the Iranian regime. 
 
(U) As is the case with our programs in other countries ruled 
by repressive regimes, the United States does not make public 
the identities of the Iranian democracy activists who elect 
to work with us.  Our programs are open to all who are 
genuinely committed to a peaceful, democratic process in 
Iran.  Grants are made on the basis of proposals (either 
solicited or unsolicited) to conduct projects within the 
areas described above.  The USG supports well conceived 
programs, not particular groups. 
 
End Background. 
 
-------------- 
ACTION REQUEST 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Posts are requested to draw from the information on 
U.S. democratization efforts outlined above to explain U.S. 
activities in Iran and to solicit parallel information about 
host country democracy promotion efforts in Iran.  This cable 
follows a similar Reftel demarche aimed at outlining EU 
efforts to promote democratic reform in Iran. 
 
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OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Begin Objectives. 
 
-- Convey background information regarding US democratization 
efforts in Iran, emphasizing that our strategy is to maintain 
a consistent message on core democratic values while ensuring 
protection for the courageous Iranian men and women working 
to advance democratic reform in Iran. 
 
-- Request information about host country government and/or 
host country NGO activities in Iran, stressing that we should 
coordinate on specific areas of expertise to ensure that our 
collective efforts are complementary (not duplicative).  If 
appropriate, identify possible areas for collaboration. 
 
-- Inquire about safety and security concerns for Iranians 
and/or host country nationals working on democracy programs 
in Iran.  Has the Iranian government taken steps to impede 
host country activities in Iran? 
 
End Objectives. 
 
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POINTS OF CONTACT 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) POCs for this demarche request are NEA/IDP Dan Baldi 
(BaldiDP@state.sgov.gov) and NEA/IR Rob McInturff 
(McinturffRA@state.sgov.gov).  Please note when responding 
that Iran-related reporting cables must use the SIPDIS 
caption and the IR country tag. 
RICE