RUSSIAN DFM ON DPRK MISSILE LAUNCHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 007118 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016 TAGS: PREL MARR PARM UNSC KN RS SUBJECT: RUSSIAN DFM ON DPRK MISSILE LAUNCHES REF: STATE 111132 Classified By: Ambassador William J. Burns. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche July 6 to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Alekseyev. Alekseyev said he was in absolute agreement that it was very important to send the North Koreans a strong and clear signal of the unacceptability of their missile launches. He had delivered that message clearly himself the day before to DPRK Ambassador Pak. Moscow had, however, "some reservations" about imposing sanctions on the DPRK, a view Alekseyev said Foreign Minister Lavrov had conveyed directly to the Secretary when they spoke the previous day. Russia did not SIPDIS oppose sanctions in principle, Alekseyev stressed, but he said Moscow doubted they would have the desired practical effect. ¶2. (C) Alekseyev said he has been in close touch with both the Chinese and the South Koreans and had stressed to both the critical role they would have in delivering the message to the DPRK. He said both he and Lavrov have urged the Chinese to be direct with the North Koreans: to tell them that actions they believe give them tactical advantage actually have precisely the reverse effect. Alekseyev acknowledged the difficulty of dealing with the North Koreans' "different psychology," which caused them to react inappropriately when they felt they were being ignored. He was pleased to hear that EAP A/S Hill would be in the region and hoped A/S Hill would be able to reinforce directly with the Chinese the "critical role" they have in delivering the message to the DPRK. Alekseyev said Russia did not have much leverage with the North Koreans, but China and the ROK both did. ¶3. (C) The Ambassador reviewed with Alekseyev the dates of A/S Hill's proposed travel to Moscow. Alekseyev said he would be very happy to receive A/S Hill, but would be traveling to Mongolia on July 11-12 for the 800th anniversary events. He said he would be available in Moscow all day on July 13, but would depart again that evening for St. Petersburg for G-8 Summit preparations. BURNS