ID: 66432    06/02/2006 12:46    06ISLAMABAD10261    Embassy Islamabad    CONFIDENTIAL    06ISLAMABAD10142    "VZCZCXRO6094PP RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHPWDE RUEHIL #0261 1531246ZNY CCCCC ZZHP 021246Z JUN 06FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABADTO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0369INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 9470RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3287RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 0653RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 3662RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 0777RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1517RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITYRUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 5470RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 6576RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 8553RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 1321RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 1265RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 8925RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 6776RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITYRHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITYRUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITYRHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY"    "C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 010261

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016TAGS: PK, PREL, PGOV, IR, KNNPSUBJECT: FM KASURI TELLS IRAN “TAKE THE OFFER”

REF: A. ISLAMABAD 10142

B. STATE 87686

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

1. (C) On June 2, Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri told the Ambassador that he had telephoned Iranian Foreign Minister Muttaki the previous day to share Pakistan's assessment that Secretary Rice's May 31 statement on Iran (Ref B) was a positive shift in U.S. policy. Kasuri told Muttaki that, in his view, the Secretary's statement reflected consideration by the U.S. of messages from Washington's European allies and from Muslim countries like Pakistan. The U.S. has met long-standing the Iranian request for direct dialogue, Kasuri continued; as a neighbor, Pakistan strongly advised Iran to seize this new opportunity.

2. (C) Foreign Minister Muttaki thanked Kasuri for his call, but said that the Secretary Rice had spoken in a very negative manner regarding Iran and the country's leadership. This was the same old rhetoric, with nothing new from Washington except for the conditioned offer of direct talks. Iran will not accept these preconditions, Muttaki said, citing the recent NAM statement that there should be no preconditions for negotiations. If the U.S. wants to talk, Muttaki concluded, that's fine -- but if it insists on preconditions, Iran will have to engage the international community diplomatically. (Note: Kasuri offered that he wasn't sure what Muttaki meant by this final remark. End note.)

3. (C) Kasuri responded by noting that Iran had sent the U.S. a 17-page public letter full of negative rhetoric. It was clear, Kasuri said, that this letter was intended to speak to Tehran's domestic constituency; it is just as clear that Secretary Rice was speaking to Washington's. Kasuri again urged Iran to announce an immediate suspension of its enrichment program in order to give dialogue a chance.

4. (C) Muttaki thanked Kasuri again for calling, saying that Iran would take Pakistan's advice into account as it considers the U.S. offer.

5. (C) Comment: Following his read-out of the Muttaki conversation, Kasuri observed that U.S. media analysts are skeptical that the Secretary's statement actually represents an important policy shift, suggesting that the U.S. offer to join the EU's direct talks may be nothing more than a ploy to shift the burden to Tehran. The Ambassador replied that the media is notoriously cynical. Kasuri may be mildly worried that he has gone out on a limb by endorsing the Secretary's statement so vigorously.

CROCKER