IRELAND SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON NORTH KOREA

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 001145 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN AND EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREL KN PARM KNNP EI SUBJECT: IRELAND SHARES U.S. CONCERNS ON NORTH KOREA REF: STATE 166404 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D). ¶1. (C) Ireland would be prepared to support U.S. actions in the UN Security Council in response to North Korea's October 3 statement on plans to test a nuclear weapon, according to Isolde Moylan and Nicholas Twist, respectively, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Director of East Asian Affairs and Deputy Director of Disarmament and Nonproliferation, to whom Pol/Econ Chief delivered reftel demarche on October 4. Moylan said that Ireland endorsed the EU Presidency's October 4 statement that any such test would be an irresponsible step. She added that the North Korean statement testified to the DPRK leadership's paranoia, isolation, and distorted sense of reality. Twist observed that a nuclear weapon test would not only heighten regional tension by a "quantum leap," but could also risk a humanitarian crisis in the event of an accident. He remarked that Irish diplomats and all other participants in the ongoing UN First Committee discussions were focused squarely on the North Korean statement. ¶2. (C) Moylan said that Ireland's ambassador to South Korea, who is accredited to the DPRK, was in close touch with the DFA on developments in the region regarding the test threat. She notQ that he visited North Korea quarterly, but did not have plans to travel in the immediate future. She offered to relay Pol/Econ Chief's request that the Irish ambassador convey the seriousness of U.S. concerns to North Korea's foreign ministry during his next visit. BENTON