Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING17957
2006-08-25 12:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

ROK READOUT OF NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SONG

Tags:  PREL MNUC KNNP CH KN KS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBJA #7957 2371219
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF5410 2371213
O 251219Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL
CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 017957 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN UNIFICATION
TAGS: PREL MNUC KNNP CH KN KS
SUBJECT: ROK READOUT OF NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SONG
MIN-SOON'S VISIT TO BEIJING

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL EXTERNAL UNIT CHIEF EDGARD KAGAN. REASONS 1.4
(B/D).

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 017957

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN UNIFICATION
TAGS: PREL MNUC KNNP CH KN KS
SUBJECT: ROK READOUT OF NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SONG
MIN-SOON'S VISIT TO BEIJING

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL EXTERNAL UNIT CHIEF EDGARD KAGAN. REASONS 1.4
(B/D).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) ROK NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SONG MIN-SOON'S AUGUST
24-25 VISIT TO BEIJING FOCUSED ON PLANNING FOR ROK PRESIDENT
ROH'S OCTOBER VISIT AS WELL AS DISCUSSING NORTH KOREA. AN
ROK EMBASSY OFFICER STRESSED THAT BOTH SIDES LOOK TO
PRESIDENT ROH'S VISIT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN
BILATERAL RELATIONS. SONG URGED THAT BEIJING USE ITS
INFLUENCE TO PERSUADE NORTH KOREA TO RETURN TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE, TO WHICH HIS PRC COUNTERPARTS SAID BEIJING
WILL TRY, BUT FEELS ITS INFLUENCE IS LIMITED IN THE WAKE OF
UNSCR 1695. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) ROK EMBASSY POLITICAL OFFICER KIM GUNN, ACTING ON
INSTRUCTIONS FROM HIS AMBASSADOR, CALLED POLOFF AUGUST 25 TO
PROVIDE A VERY PRELIMINARY READOUT ON ROK NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR SONG MIN SOON'S VISIT TO BEIJING, NOTING THAT THE ROK
WOULD BRIEF IN MORE DETAIL IN SEOUL AND WASHINGTON. ARRIVING
IN THE EVENING OF AUGUST 24, SONG MET WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
LI ZHAOXING FOR HALF-AN-HOUR AND HAD AN EIGHTY-MINUTE LUNCH
WITH VFM WU DAWEI ON AUGUST 25. KIM RELATED THAT THE OVERALL
IMPRESSION WAS THAT THE MEETINGS WERE TOO SHORT AND THAT BOTH
SIDES FELT CONSTRAINED BY THE LIMITED TIME. KIM SAID SONG
REGRETS THAT HIS BUSY SCHEDULE DID NOT ALLOW ENOUGH TIME TO
COMPLETE DISCUSSIONS. KIM RELATED THAT SONG DISCUSSED TWO
MAIN TOPICS IN HIS MEETINGS: THE VISIT OF ROK PRESIDENT ROH
IN OCTOBER AND NORTH KOREA.


3. (C) REGARDING PRESIDENT ROH'S UPCOMING VISIT, KIM SAID
THAT BOTH SIDES AGREED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING A
SUCCESSFUL VISIT IN ORDER TO IMPROVE BILATERAL RELATIONS.
KIM SUMMARIZED THAT SONG EXPRESSED THE ROK'S BELIEF THAT
PRESIDENT ROH'S VISIT WOULD IMPROVE BILATERAL RELATIONS AND
LOOK FOR WAYS TO RESOLVE NORTH KOREA ISSUE IN ORDER TO
ADVANCE THE FUTURE OF NORTHEAST ASIAN RELATIONS. KIM
SUMMARIZED THE PRC MESSAGE AS WELCOMING PRESIDENT ROH'S VISIT
AND HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TIMING, AS 2007 IS
BOTH THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRC-ROK DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND
HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY THE SOUTH KOREANS AS THE YEAR FOR
CHINA-SOUTH KOREAN EXCHANGE.


4. (C) KIM RELATED THAT BOTH SIDES EXCHANGED THEIR
ASSESSMENTS ON NORTH KOREA, WITH SONG STRESSING THE ROK VIEW
THAT THE SITUATION IS VERY SERIOUS. KIM SAID THAT SONG URGED
THE PRC TO USE ITS INFLUENCE OVER PYONGYANG TO "STRONGLY"
PERSUADE NORTH KOREA TO MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE DIALOGUE.
THE PRC RESPONDED THAT NORTH KOREA IS UNHAPPY WITH CHINA AS
WELL AS WITH UNSCR 1695. KIM RELATED THAT PRC OFFICIALS TOLD
SONG THAT THIS NORTH KOREAN UNHAPPINESS WILL MAKE IT VERY
DIFFICULT FOR BEIJING TO PERSUADE NORTH KOREA AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, THEY ASSURED SONG THAT CHINA WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT
TO GET NORTH KOREA TO RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. SONG
AFFIRMED THAT THE ROK WILL ALSO MAKE EVERY EFFORT, ACCORDING
TO KIM.
SEDNEY