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O 010700Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6287

S E C R E T BERN 000040 
 
 
DEPT FOR CA/OCS, NEA, AND EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2020 
TAGS: PREL CASC MNUC SZ IR
SUBJECT: BILATERAL DIALOGUE WITH IRAN REGARDING HIKERS? 
 
REF: A. 17 DEC 09 BIRSNER-MARWAHA/WALKER E-MAIL 
     ¶B. 04 JAN 10 DCM CARTER-MARWAHA E-MAIL 
     ¶C. BERN 0009 
 
Classified By: DCM Leigh G. Carter; reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (S) On January 2, 29 and 30, DCM Carter met with Swiss 
State Secretary Ambuehl and Swiss AMB to Iran Leu, who passed 
information detailing Swiss conversations with Iranian FM 
Mottaki on the margins of the World Economic Forum (WEF), in 
Davos, Switzerland, during which Swiss FM Calmy-Rey and 
Mottaki discussed the possibility of Switzerland conducting 
shuttle diplomacy to improve the resolution of pending 
consular cases on both sides.  These discussions continued 
the theme initially proposed in Ref A and were amplified 
during Ambuehl's recent meetings in Tehran on January 23. 
 
¶2. (S) The Swiss have observed to the Iranians that the 
"top-down approach" on issues of concern has not worked and 
asked "why don't you try a bottom-up approach, starting with 
consular issues."  Mottaki had asked Ambuehl in Tehran what 
concrete proposals Ambuehl had to offer.  Ambuehl said he was 
clear that he had no specific mandate but some proposals to 
resolve outstanding consular cases and help to develop a new 
operational structure to resolve future cases.  Both Ambuehl 
and Swiss FM Calmy-Rey emphasized in their meetings with the 
Iranian delegation their believe that focusing on a basic 
humanitarian area of concern to both countries would be 
beneficial to Iran and might help them enter into a more 
comprehensive approach to the US-Iranian bilateral 
relationship. 
 
¶3. (S) Calmy-Rey stated she was exploring possibilities with 
the Iranians without Washington's approval and sought 
reaction from Mottaki on proceeding.  Mottaki reportedly said 
"why not?" When pressed for concrete suggestions from his 
side, he offered "the Americans should stop being hostile." 
Calmy-Rey promised to present this to the USG but warned 
Mottaki that she was unlikely to get feedback from the 
ministerial level in the short-term. 
 
¶4. (S) Within hours, the GoS requested a second meeting with 
DCM Carter for January 30.  Ambuehl and Leu reported during 
the second meeting that Mottaki was informed a US ministerial 
reaction was still pending.  Mottaki reiterated the Swiss 
could continue shuttling between sides in an effort to create 
a structure to solve Consular cases under the condition that 
the US was interested.  His precise words were to the Swiss 
Foreign Minister "do what you can." 
 
¶5. (S) Cases of particular interest to Iran continue to be 
the Ardebili case, the pending extradition case of former 
Iranian Ambassador to the UK Tajik, the Iranian physicist who 
disappeared in Mecca, and their request for assistance 
concerning the Iran Royal Association and Tondar Commandos 
who may have been involved in the recent assassination of the 
physics professor in Iran (per diplomatic note passed to 
Ambassador Leu on January 26 through SPP).  The Iranian 
delegation also raised the issue of consular access through 
the Pakistani Embassy in Washington -- they allege that in 
the past, local Iranian staff were allowed to make consular 
visits and now they are banned from such practice. 
 
¶6. (S) The Swiss believe that a unilateral gesture of good 
will in any one of these cases on our part will help break 
the deadlock we face with the hikers.  The Iranian 
perspective is that  they made the first move in the case of 
the Erbil five and we did not move quickly enough to 
reciprocate.  The Swiss claim that they reminded the Iranians 
that consular cases must be considered independently of any 
other issues, especially the possibility of new sanctions. 
Mottaki said that he understood and accepted this. 
 
¶7. (S) In the final meeting with the Swiss on January 29, 
Mottaki made a proposal on a separate issue which is the 
subject of a second cable we are transmitting. 
 
 
CARTER