VZCZCXRO4770
PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHUNV #0165/01 0740857
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 140857Z MAR 08
FM USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7692
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 0127
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0541
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0518
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0193
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0117
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1158
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0807
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 UNVIE VIENNA 000165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/T, ISN/MNSA, NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018 
TAGS:        
SUBJECT: IAEA: WEOG STONEWALLS ON ISRAEL,S MEMBERSHIP 
REQUEST 
 
REF: A) 07 STATE 168186 B) 07 UNVIE 693 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Gregory L. Schulte for reasons 1.4 b and d 
 
 Summary 
------- 
 
 1.  (C) Following up on the effort during the U.S. WEOG 
Chairmanship last fall (Ref B) to extend membership to 
Israel, the Australian Chair relayed a formal request from 
Israel to the group.  In a February 19 WEOG meeting, Ireland, 
New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain and Finland raised 
reservations though they claimed to be open to continued 
discussion of Israel's request.  The principal objections 
were that Israel had been admitted to WEOG only for electoral 
purposes in other UN fora, and that IAEA-WEOG deliberations 
on Middle East issues would be constrained.  EU members also 
sought an EU decision on the issue of admitting Israel and 
questioned the purpose of the IAEA-WEOG.  Israel has proposed 
"mutually agreed modalities" for discussion of Middle East 
issues.  However, Israeli Ambassador Michaeli believes there 
are much deeper objections on the part of some WEOG members 
and is inclined to not push the issue of Israel's membership, 
which could provoke a divisive WEOG debate.  End summary. 
 
WEOG Not Receptive 
------------------ 
 
 2.  (C) The IAEA WEOG group held consultations February 19 on 
a formal request from the Government of Israel that it be 
accorded full membership.  In a February 14 letter to the 
Australian WEOG Chair (text para 8), Israeli Ambassador 
Michaeli noted Israel's exclusion from the MESA group and its 
inclusion in WEOG in other UN fora.  Israel also offered to 
accommodate "possible sensitivities and concerns" on the part 
of some WEOG members regarding General Conference (GC) 
deliberations on Middle East issues through "mutually agreed 
modalities."  Ambassador Schulte also summarized a letter he 
had sent to WEOG members as the outgoing Chair in December 
that addressed questions and concerns raised in prior WEOG 
consultations (Ref B).  He explained WEOG's informal 
consultative status at the IAEA and other precedents for 
Israel's representation in WEOG within the UN system, 
consistent with Ref A guidance.  Ambassador Schulte appealed 
to WEOG members to admit Israel, which was the only country 
not a member of any group. 
 
 
 3. (C) Ireland and New Zealand voiced reservations as they 
had previously (Ref B), along with Switzerland, Spain, Sweden 
and Finland, though they all claimed to be open to further 
discussion of Israel's request.  Only Norway expressed strong 
principled support for accommodating Israel.  Ireland and 
Finland observed that precedents for Israel's inclusion in 
WEOG in New York and elsewhere were for electoral purposes 
only, whereas the IAEA-WEOG does not have a formal electoral 
function under the IAEA Statute.  Sweden unhelpfully added 
that in New York, it was "completely forbidden" for Israel to 
take part in any WEOG consultations not related to elections. 
 The Swedish PR likened the IAEA-WEOG more to the Geneva 
Human Rights Council where Israel is excluded from WEOG 
because Israel-related resolutions are discussed.  Ireland, 
Finland and New Zealand echoed concerns about Israel's 
participation in substantive IAEA-WEOG deliberations on 
Middle East issues during the General Conference.  New 
Zealand was unconvinced that Israel was "like-minded" on 
these issues.  (Note:  Tel Aviv has advised Michaeli that 
Israel participates in UNGA First Committee deliberations on 
Middle East issues as part of a WEOG-subgroup in New York, 
but UNVIE has not been able to confirm this. End note) 
 
 4. (C) Spain and Sweden also cited the need for an EU 
decision on Israel's participation in WEOG.  Stockholm 
questioned the whole purpose of WEOG in Vienna, a matter that 
the Nordic Group and the EU should consider.  Spain said that 
it would follow up with the UN Group in Brussels, and has 
reportedly sent such a request.  Michaeli also told 
Ambassador Schulte that Spain took an unfriendly stance in a 
subsequent EU-Vienna group meeting.  (Note: According to 
Ireland, the EU had made a decision on this matter years ago 
to allow Israel's participation in WEOG only for electoral 
purposes. End note). 
 
UNVIE VIEN 00000165  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
 5. (C) Ambassador Schulte proposed that the Australian WEOG 
Chair explore with Israel the "modalities" on Middle East 
discussions referenced in its letter.  Australian Charge 
agreed to do so and concluded that the WEOG was not prepared 
to make a decision, but discussions would continue on the 
matter.  Australian Ambassador Shannon, who has been 
supportive of Israel's request, has since followed up with 
Michaeli.  Michaeli also explained to Ambassador Schulte on 
March 11 that while Israel does not want to put it in 
writing, the "modalities" would consist of Israel presenting 
its view on Middle East GC agenda items and then leaving the 
room during WEOG deliberations on the subject.  Michaeli will 
seek instructions on whether to orally brief WEOG on these 
"mutually agreed modalities."  Shannon had suggested that 
Australia could circulate the Chair's understanding of 
"modalities" to the group. 
 
 6. (C) Michaeli is generally pessimistic about Israel's 
near-term prospects for joining the IAEA-WEOG.  The question 
of "modalities" for discussion of Middle East issues was a 
pretext in his view, which may address some of the "excuses" 
made by some WEOG members, but deeper objections remain.  He 
had heard that Wellington, for example, would oppose Israel's 
inclusion in WEOG unless Israel acceded to the NPT.  Michaeli 
is inclined not to press the issue of Israel's membership in 
the IAEA-WEOG too hard, as this could close the door, but 
rather to take a lower profile and allow discussions to 
continue. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
 7. (C) WEOG members seem inclined to slow-roll any decision 
on Israel's membership, and any effort to force such a 
decision would be divisive.  While Ireland and New Zealand 
had assured us privately that they would be more 
accommodating, they proceeded to raise the same objections in 
the February WEOG meeting as they had in November (Ref B). 
Turkey is no longer objecting (they attributed their stance 
in November to a lack of instructions) but we are 
disappointed that several other WEOG members have now 
seconded Ireland and New Zealand.  Given the unhelpful 
positions of some EU members, the EU is also not likely to be 
receptive, and WEOG supporters of Israel such as the U.S., 
Canada, Australia and Norway may be isolated.  Mission will 
continue to back Israel's request for membership, in 
principle, but agrees that the prospects are not good.  End 
Comment. 
 
Israel's Letter to the IAEA-WEOG 
--------------------------------- 
 
 8. (SBU) Begin text of February 14 letter to Australian WEOG 
Chairman, Ambassador Peter Shannon from Israeli Ambassador 
Michaeli: 
 
Dear Sir, 
 
The State of Israel wishes to become a full member of WEOG in 
the framework of the IAEA. As you are aware, Israel's request 
has been already brought to the attention and consideration 
of your distinguished predecessors, the Ambassadors of the 
United Kingdom and of the United States of America. 
 
Israel's decision to apply for WEOG membership comes against 
the background of continued refusal by the MESA group, which 
is clearly politically motivated, to allow Israel to 
participate in its natural regional group. 
 
The State of Israel already enjoys WEOG's membership in the 
UNGA, including the First Committee, as well as the Geneva 
based WIPO and CD and Vienna based Commission on Narcotic 
Drugs and UNIDO. 
 
We would appreciate a favorable consideration of our request 
by WEOG members. Israel is fully aware of the politically 
sensitive nature of certain topics pertaining to the Middle 
East under discussion and consideration in WEOG. We therefore 
 
UNVIE VIEN 00000165  003 OF 003 
 
 
wish to assure all WEOG members, through you Mr. Chairman, of 
Israel's willingness to accommodate possible sensitivities 
and concerns in this regard through mutually agreed 
modalities. 
 
We would appreciate informing of this formal request by the 
State of Israel to all WEOG members. 
 
Please accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
End text. 
 
 
 
SCHULTE