REPORTED DPRK NUCLEAR TEST: RARE MFA ""STATEMENT""

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 021224 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, IO, ISN E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN REUNIFICATION TAGS: PREL MNUC CH KN JA KS RU SUBJECT: REPORTED DPRK NUCLEAR TEST: RARE MFA ""STATEMENT"" CONDEMNS TEST; CHINESE OBSERVERS EXPRESS SURPRISE, FRUSTRATION Classified By: Classified by Political Minister Counselor Daniel Shields. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (S) The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a rare official ""statement"" (text at para 11) on October 9 condemning the reported DPRK nuclear test that day. China had only issued four previous MFA statements of this kind in the last decade and a half. Chinese contacts we spoke with expressed surprise and frustration over the reported test and its timing and pointed to the MFA statement as evidence of Beijing's anger with Pyongyang over the test. Several contacts we spoke with believe that China will support imposition of sanctions by the UN Security Council ""to some extent"" and assessed that the heart of the discussion would be over what sanctions to impose. One contact said the Pakistan nuclear test precedent will be highly relevant, given the similarities between Beijing's historically close relations with Islamabad and with Pyongyang. Netizens discussing the issue on popular websites indicated concern about increased threats to China's security as a result of the test. End Summary. Rare MFA Statement Condemning Test -------------- ¶2. (S) The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued on October 9 a rare, harshly worded and high-level statement (text at para 11) condemning the reported DPRK nuclear test that day. China issues MFA statements of this kind only on unusual occasions to signal strong leadership concern over a foreign policy issue. The October 9 statement expresses China's ""resolute opposition"" to the ""flagrant nuclear test"" and ""strongly demands the DPRK to live up to its commitment to a non-nuclear Korean Peninsula, stop any activity that would lead to a deterioration of the situation and return to the Six-Party Talks."" (Note: China has only issued four MFA statements in the last decade and a half, regarding the U.S. sale of F-16s to Taiwan in 1992, Taiwan President Li Teng-hui's visit to the United States in 1995, India's nuclear test in 1998 and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine in October 2005. End Note.) The October 9 statement calls on all sides to ""respond calmly and adhere to peaceful resolution of the issue through consultations and dialogue."" Scholars Cite Surprise, Harsh Official Reaction -------------- -- ¶3. (S) According to XXXXXXXXXXXX (protect),North Korea's nuclear test was ""highly unexpected,"" catching both the Chinese government and independent observers off guard. Pyongyang's decision to test so soon after the October 6 UNSC Presidential statement, which China supported, is particularly surprising, XXXXXXXXXXXX said. XXXXXXXXXXXX stressed that China has shown both its displeasure and surprise by issuing a ""very strong"" Foreign Ministry Statement. ¶4. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX (protect) told Polmincouns that the Foreign Ministry statement condemning the DPRK nuclear test was remarkable. It is highly unusual for Beijing to publicly criticize Pyongyang in blunt terms like ""the Democratic People's Republic of Korea disregarded the international community's universal opposition and flagrantly conducted a nuclear test."" XXXXXXXXXXXX said he was astonished to see the MFA use the word ""flagrantly"" to criticize an action by the DPRK. He could only recall the word being used by China previously to condemn actions by the United States and the former Soviet Union. In the past Beijing strove to project the image that any criticism of Pyongyang was reluctant and moderate. This statement is different, XXXXXXXXXXXX stated, particularly in terms of the negative official Chinese attitude it expresses toward North Korea. China Will Support Sanctions -------------- ¶5. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX (protect) all separately predicted that China would cooperate with other parties including the United States to bring additional pressure on North Korea through possible sanctions or other measures. XXXXXXXXXXXX told Polmincouns that a North Korean nuclear test represents a turning point for China. Beijing, while still not an adversary of North Korea, will shift from being a relatively neutral mediator to being a more active player willing to apply pressure on North Korea. The North Koreans did not learn their lesson from Chinese support for UNSCR 1695 following the DPRK missile tests. They have apparently taken a step that harms China's interests. The Chinese Government is now likely to accept UN sanctions against North Korea, just as China accepted UN sanctions against India and Pakistan follwing the nuclear tests by those countries. Te key will be precisely which sanctions are poposed. XXXXXXXXXXXX said the Pakistan precedent will be highly relevant, given the similarities between Beijing's historically close relations with Islamabad and with Pyongyang. ¶5. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX told poloff that the DPRK has now played its biggest and only remaining card. ""Kim Jong-Il is used to games of brinksmanship,"" he commented. ""Kim will use the nuclear test to see whether the U.S. redline is a nuclear North Korea or a nuclear North Korea that proliferates to other countries."" XXXXXXXXXXXX predicted that China would support sanctions ""to some extent"" in the wake of a test, but declined to predict how far China would go in cutting off Chinese support for the DPRK. XXXXXXXXXXXX thought that Beijing would support some sort of sanctions against North Korea, as long as such actions were taken through the UN Security Council. China wants to be viewed as a ""great"" and ""responsible"" power, XXXXXXXXXXXX said, and has opposed nuclear proliferation, including by supporting strong UNSC resolutions against both North Korea and Iran. Questions over Test Remain -------------- ¶6. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX commented that China's statement on the test had harshly condemned the DPRK and she said that China is now waiting to see what the U.S. reaction will be. XXXXXXXXXXXX said that most Chinese analysts are skeptical of North Korean claims that 100 percent of radioactive emissions have been contained. ""Unless North Korean technology is much better than we think it is, there should be traces of radioactive emissions at some point,"" she commented. ¶7. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX said he had interviewed XXXXXXXXXXXX after the news of the test became public, who reportedly said that ""it appears that many aspects of the North Korean test were unsuccessful,"" but XXXXXXXXXXXX said XXXXXXXXXXXX would not elaborate. XXXXXXXXXXXX expressed concern that the test shows that there is no leverage available to coax good behavior from the DPRK and that the contradiction between China's priority interests regarding the DPRK nuclear issue, seeking to maintain stability and eliminate nuclear weapons in North Korea, is becoming sharper. ""China is in a difficult spot,"" XXXXXXXXXXXX said. Frustration High Among Experts -------------- ¶8. (S) Other academics and contacts we reached expressed surprise and frustration over the DPRK's announced test. XXXXXXXXXXXX commented that the test could usher in a new era of instability in the region that would benefit no one. XXXXXXXXXXXX predicted that China would work closely with the United States on next steps, but expressed frustration that none of China's previous efforts to resolve the DPRK nuclear issue had been successful. ¶9. (S) Several contacts noted that the topic of the North Korean nuclear test might come up in discussions on the margins of the ongoing Party Plenum, but asserted that the North Korean issue would not be discussed in the plenary sessions. ""The issue will be discussed by the Politburo or Politburo Standing Committee, but not by the Plenum,"" said XXXXXXXXXXXX. Going one step further, XXXXXXXXXXXX separately said that there is ""no way"" that the DPRK nuclear test would affect the Plenum, which is a ""major domestic event"" and largely ""immune"" from foreign affairs. Story Looms Large on Web -------------- ¶10. (C) The North Korean nuclear test was the number one headline on popular Chinese Internet news sites, but the official Xinhua news site ran the story behind news about cracking down on corruption (in connection with a theme of the ongoing Party Plenum) and a headline about Japanese Prime Minister Abe's visit to Beijing on October 8. Popular Chinese chatrooms carried some commentary on the North Korean test on October 9, most of it focused on the threat that North Korea could pose to China and the potential reaction of China's neighbors. Examples were, ""now Japan and South Korea will both try to get nuclear weapons,"" ""the North Korean test is an affront to China"" and ""terrifying."" One netizen posted a list of Chinese cities that are within reach of North Korean missiles. Text of MFA Statement -------------- ¶11. (U) Begin text. Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China 9 October 2006 On 9 October, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea disregarded the international community's universal opposition and flagrantly conducted a nuclear test. The Chinese Government expresses its resolute opposition in this regard. It has been the firm, unshakable, and consistent stance of the Chinese Government to realize non- nuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and oppose nuclear proliferation. The Chinese side strongly demands that the DPRK side abide by its commitment to non-nuclearization, stop all actions that may lead to further deterioration of the situation, and return to the course of the six-party talks. Maintaining peace and stability in the Northeast Asia region conforms with the common interests of all parties concerned. The Chinese Government calls on all parties concerned to respond calmly and adhere to a peaceful resolution of the issue through consultation and dialogue. The Chinese side will continue to devote unremitting efforts toward this end. End text. SEDNEY