EU/DPRK: PRE-BRIEF OF TROIKA VISIT TO PYONGYANG

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 004756

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EAP/FO DETRANI, EAP/K FOSTER AND EUR/ERA BISHARAT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2014
TAGS: PREL PHUM KNNP KN EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU/DPRK: PRE-BRIEF OF TROIKA VISIT TO PYONGYANG

REF: A. USEU BRUSSELS 1119


B. USEU BRUSSELS 1081

C. 03 USEU BRUSSELS 5510

Classified By: USEU Poloff Van Reidhead for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A Directors-level Troika of EU officials will
visit Pyongyang November 13-16 to press for North Korean
cooperation in the Six Party Talks and to press for progress
on human rights, economic reforms, ROK-DPRK relations and
humanitarian assistance issues. The Troika will begin the
trip with meetings in Beijing to prepare for the December 8
EU-China summit and finish up in Tokyo to brief the Japanese
on the visit. Special Envoy DeTrani's visit to Brussels
November 9-10 offers a valuable opportunity to convey USG
concerns on these issues in advance of the Troika visit. END
SUMMARY.

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EU to Raise Five Issues with DPRK
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2. (C) Council Secretariat Principal Administrator and visit
participant Antonio Tanca briefed poloff about plans for a
November 13-16 Directors-level Troika visit to North Korea.
While the terms of reference for the Troika's official
meetings in Pyongyang were still in draft at the time of
poloff's briefing, Tanca said that the EU would press the
North Koreans for progress on five issues With the exception
of humanitarian assistance, these issues are the same as
those discussed during the EU's last Troika visit to North
Korea, in 2003 (ref C).

-- Six Party Process: The Troika will express EU support for
the Six Party Process and press for DPRK cooperation in
future talks. The Troika hopes also to gauge Pyongyang's
views on the process following the US elections, and "hopes
to see a (post-election) softening," Tanca said.

-- Human Rights: The Troika will "express concerns" and urge
the DPRK to resume its human rights discussions with the EU.
The EU wants to make it clear, however, that talking about
human rights would not give the DPRK immunity from further EU
criticism of its HR abuses, including in the UN.

-- Economic Reforms: The Troika will encourage the DPRK to
expand and deepen the small efforts it has taken so far on
economic reform, while making it clear that increased
economic cooperation with the EU would be contingent on
resolving the nuclear issue.

-- DPRK-ROK Relations: The Troika will continue encouraging
Pyongyang to "engage openly" with South Korea on peninsular
and inter-Korean issues.

-- Humanitarian Assistance: The Troika will express concern
about the DPRK's recent announcements that it no longer needs
as much humanitarian assistance and will further restrict
access for aid workers. The Troika hopes to meet also with
NGOs and international organization delegations in North
Korea to discuss this issue.

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Travel Itinerary
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3. (C) The Troika will travel first to Beijing, then to
Pyongyang for a three-day visit, and wrap up in Tokyo:

-- November 12: The Troika will meet with European Affairs
personnel from the MFA to discuss plans for the December 8
EU-China summit. The delegation will also put on its COASI
(Asia Working Group) hat and hold a COASI troika with the PRC.

-- November 13-15: Meetings in Pyongyang and with NGOs and
international organizations.

-- November 16: Return to Beijing to debrief the Chinese on
the DPRK visit.

-- November 17: Fly to Tokyo to debrief the Japanese on the
visit. The Troika will also discuss implementation of
agreements reached at the EU-Japan summit earlier this year.

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Troika Participants
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4. (U) For the Dutch EU Presidency: MFA Asia Director Robert
Milders (Troika Chair); Asia Deputy Director Margarita Bot;
Korea Director Robert Dresen; Dutch Ambassador in Seoul

-- For Luxembourg (incoming EU Presidency): Ambassador
Laurence

-- For the Council Secretariat: Principal Administrator
Antonio Tanca

-- For the Commission: North America and East Asia Director
Richard Wright; DPRK Desk Officer Maria Castilla-Fernandez

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DeTrani Visit an Opportunity for US
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5. (C) The November 9-10 visit to Brussels of DPRK Special
Envoy DeTrani and EAP/K Foster provides the US an opportunity
to convey our concerns about current DPRK issues just prior
to the Troika's departure. As with the 2003 Troika visit,
the EU has been very forthcoming with their plans and the
promise of a full readout upon their return. Council DG
Cooper and others (refs A, B) have repeatedly made clear the
EU's desire to play a constructive role in resolving the
nuclear standoff with North Korea, and to do so in a way that
supports the Six Party Process and US leadership on the
issue.

Schnabel