PARAGUAY CONDEMNS NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000711 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC NSC FOR CRONIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAY CONDEMNS NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCH REF: SECSTATE 111144 ¶1. On July 7, A/DCM delivered reftel points and the White House statement on the North Korean missile launch to Ceferino Valdez, the Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ¶2. Later that same day, Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press statement condemning North Korea's missile launch. An unofficial translation follows: BEGIN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Release July 7, 2006 The Government of the Republic of Paraguay condemns the missile launch by North Korea and considers that these actions alter security and the climate of peace in the region. Likewise, the Government of Paraguay pleads for a firm response and a united international community. Furthermore, the Government of the Republic Paraguay expresses its deep concern that theses missile tests signify a step backward in the international compromises agreed to in the peace agreements in the Korean Peninsula and the world in general. With this act, North Korea has violated the moratorium on missile launches, which was reaffirmed in 2004 and is contrary to the Joint Declaration of September 19, 2005 in which the Six-Party partners agreed to unite forces for lasting peace and security in northeast Asia. The Government of the Republic of Paraguay declares that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and its vectors constitute a threat to peace and international security. Moreover, Paraguay declares that the attitude of North Korea only goes against the forces that are trying to ensure worldwide stability and security and delays the negotiation process that was carried on in good faith by this group of nations. These nations have a fixed objective to stop the armaments race until we meet our goal of complete irreversible and verifiable dismantlement of the nuclear program. END UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION CASON