VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTV #3516/01 3471655
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131655Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4583
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6245
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0573
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0147

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 003516 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017 
TAGS: PREL KNNP UNSC UNFC EG RU IS
SUBJECT: ISN PDAS MCNERNEY'S DISCUSSION ON PSI AND UNFC 
ISSUES AT THE ISRAELI MFA (CABLE 5 OF 5) 
 
REF: A. TEL AVIV 03385 
 
     ¶B. TEL AVIV 03386 
     ¶C. TEL AVIV 03514 
     ¶D. TEL AVIV 03515 
 
Classified By: Marc J. Sievers, Political Counselor. 
Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d). 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) During an October 24 meeting with an Israeli 
inter-agency team at the Foreign Ministry that focused mainly 
on the Iranian nuclear threat, ISN PDAS Patricia McNerney and 
her delegation also exchanged views on the Proliferation 
Security Initiative (PSI) and various resolutions in the UN 
First Committee.  The Israeli delegation, led by MFA Deputy 
Director General (Strategic Affairs) Miriam Ziv, made the 
following points: 
 
¶A. Israel participated in a PSI exercise that took place in 
Japan 12-15 October.  The MFA owes the U.S. side an answer 
regarding a proposal for Israel to participate in another PSI 
exercise. 
 
¶B. Israel is analyzing whether Egypt's attitude towards a 
Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (MENWFZ) reflects a 
change in policy.  Israel was frustrated that reference to an 
IAEA resolution made it into Egypt's annual MENWFZ resolution 
at the UN. 
 
¶C. Israel believes Iran may be behind Qatar's plans to 
introduce a new resolution on Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty 
(NPT) violations and Chapter VI of the UN Charter. 
 
In response, PDAS McNerney agreed to continue to consult on 
Egyptian activism at the IAEA and UN regarding policy on the 
MENWFZ.  She said that the U.S. had tried to discourage the 
Russians from tabling their resolution on Confidence Building 
Measures (CBMs) in Outer Space, and that the U.S. would vote 
"no" on the annual PAROS resolution.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
PSI: ISRAELIS SEEKING MORE INFORMATION 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Ambassador Ziv asked how much the PSI is actually 
applied in counterproliferation efforts.  PDAS McNerney 
responded by noting an up-tick in interdiction activity since 
the passages of UNSCR 1718 and 1737.  McNerney said that PSI 
partners along interdiction routes are helping the U.S. on 
counterpliferation activities.  She observed, however, that 
the "legal disposition" issue (e.g., what to do with seized 
materials) is a big issue that has seized the attention of 
the PSI's Operational Experts Group.  McNerney said that the 
U.S. would continue to reach out to PSI countries to stop 
proliferation.  If another resolution were passed, it may 
strengthen the impetus to get countries to use PSI. 
 
¶3. (C) In response, the Israeli Defense Intelligence (IDI) 
officer noted that Israeli MOD lawyers are skeptical of the 
ability of PSI states to enforce various aspects of maritime 
law.  McNerney replied that this is why the current thinking 
is to have interdicted ships taken into ports where states 
then do not have to worry about maritime law. 
 
¶4. (C) Ambassador Ziv noted that Israel owes the U.S. an 
answer regarding a proposal to conduct a PSI exercise with 
Israeli participation.  Ziv sought clarification that PSI 
focuses on missiles and WMD.  She expressed some interest in 
using terror finance as an element of an exercise.  The MFA 
representative noted that an Israeli team participated in a 
PSI exercise that took place in Japan 12-15 October. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
UN FIRST COMMITTEE AND IAEA CONFERENCE 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) The MFA's new Arms Control Department director, Rodica 
Radian-Gordon, and her deputy, Tamar Rahamimoff-Honig, led 
discussion on Israel's UN First Committee agenda.  They said 
that Israel is currently analyzing whether the Egyptian 
attitude towards the Middle East Nuclear Weapons Free Zone 
(MENWFZ) is a change in policy or not.  Radian-Gordon said 
that Israel is not pleased that Egypt referred to the IAEA 
Resolution (which was not adopted by consensus) in its MENWFZ 
resolution at the UN First Committee.  Nevertheless, she said 
that even though Israel is not happy with this year's 
proposed resolution, Israel would not break consensus.  She 
 
said Israel would be happy if other countries would voice 
their opinion on the Egyptian resolution, either prior to the 
vote, in Cairo, or as an Explanation of Vote.  Radian-Gordon 
said Israel's assessment is that the Europeans will not act. 
She explained that other IAEA member states think that there 
has been a change in Egyptian policy and thus expect more of 
this in the future.  Agreeing with PDAS McNerney's assertion 
that the Egyptians are irritating everyone with their stance, 
Radian-Gordon observed that this is why it is so difficult to 
understand Egypt's agenda on the issue.  One GOI paper, she 
said, suggested that the GOE wants a UNSC resolution that 
demands Nuclear Suppliers Group members not sell equipment to 
non-NPT states.  PDAS McNerney agreed with the proposal that 
Israel and the U.S. continue to compare notes on the Egyptian 
position. 
 
¶6. (C) Discussion turned to Qatar's plans to introduce a new 
resolution on violations of the NPT and Chapter VI of the UN 
Charter.  Radian-Gordon suggested that this might be a clever 
way to undermine UNSC action on a third UNSC sanctions 
resolution on Iran, or at least suggest a third way. 
Radian-Gordon noted that the resolution would be problematic 
if the Qataris decide to introduce it.  She wondered if Iran 
is behind the initiative. 
 
¶7. (C) PDAS McNerney noted that the USG remained unsatisfied 
with modifications made to New Zealand and Switzerland's 
"de-alerting" resolution.  On the resolution on CBMs in Outer 
Space, McNerney said that we had tried to discourage the 
Russians from introducing the resolution, but that they had 
insisted that they would introduce it.  Radian-Gordon replied 
that the Russians told the Israeli MFA twice that they are 
displeased that Israel will abstain on the CBM resolution. 
 
¶8. (C) Regarding resolutions on Middle East issues, PDAS 
McNerney said that the U.S. will vote "no" on the risk 
resolution.  PDAS McNerney said that the U.S. would vote "no" 
on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) 
resolution. 
 
¶9. (C) Radian-Gordon said that the Russians raised with 
Israel the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. 
PDAS McNerney replied that during their two-plus-two meeting 
in Moscow, Secretary Rice and Defense Secretary Gates agreed 
to a joint statement with the Russians on the INF treaty. 
She noted that we welcome positive statements on the INF 
treaty, but are not interested in any effort to renegotiate 
it.  She reported that the UK and France responded coolly to 
Russia's joint statement proposal. 
 
¶10. (C) In response to a request from the Israeli side, PDAS 
McNerney updated them on the status of the agreement with 
India on civil nuclear cooperation. 
 
¶11. (U) ISN PDAS McNerney was not able to review this cable. 
 
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