CAMBODIA ON NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 001828 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN AND EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2016 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIA ON NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST REF: STATE 166404 Classified By: CDA Piper Campbell. Reason: 1.4 (b) (d). ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ officer delivered reftel demarche to Sun Suon, Director of MFA's International Organizations Department, on October 5, emphasizing that a North Korea armed with nuclear weapons was unacceptable to the U.S., that a nuclear weapons test would be "a grave miscalculation" on Pyongyang's part and that a test would have "dire" consequences. We asked that Cambodia use its unique relationship with North Korea to ensure that the DPRK understood the seriousness of international reaction and to use its influence to convince the North Koreans not to conduct a test. ¶2. (C) Sun Suon agreed that a test would be bad for North Korea and for the region. He said Cambodia's position would be based on the views of regional neighbors who were most concerned, including China, South Korea and Japan, as well as the U.S. He added that Cambodia would follow ASEAN's lead, but he did not believe his boss (FM Hor Namhong) would want to issue a public statement. In response to our referral to an earlier attempt by Hor Namhong to take an active role on the Korean Peninsula issue in 2003, Sun Suon reminded us that Hor Namhong's efforts when Cambodia held the ASEAN Chair had gone nowhere. As for Cambodia's special relationship with North Korea, Sun Suon suggested that it was no longer as unique as it once was, now that Kim Il Sung has passed from the scene and King Sihanouk has retired from the Cambodian throne. CAMPBELL