NO PROGRESS AT INTER-KOREAN MILITARY TALKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001692 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2014 TAGS: PARM PREL KN KS SUBJECT: NO PROGRESS AT INTER-KOREAN MILITARY TALKS REF: SEOUL 00731 Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Three days of the inter-Korean general officer-level military talks ended on May 19 without any agreement on key agenda items. The ROK side had hoped to map out measures to avoid clashes in the West Sea and receive assurances regarding safe cross-border passage of roads and railways in advance of former President Kim Dae Jung's anticipated visit to the DPRK. However, the North's exclusive focus on redrawing the validity of the Northern Limit Line prevented any progress on other issues. The two sides also could not agree on scheduling a N-S Defense Ministerial or the next round of general officer talks. Disappointed at the lack of progress at the talks, ROK officials told us that they were surprised that the North would not even agree to provide security guarantees for the inter-Korean railroad. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) General officers from the two Koreas met on May 17-19 at Panmunjom truce village in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The three-day gathering was the third of its kind since June 2004 and the fourth since the inter-Korean summit in 2000. The five-member ROK delegation was led by MND Policy and Planning DG Army Major General Han Min-koo. The DPRK delegation, also consisting of five members, was led by KPA Lieutenant General Kim Yong-chol. ¶3. (C) According to MND officials, the ROK's main agendas for the meeting were measures to prevent clashes in the West Sea and guarantees of safe passage to and from Pyongyang in anticipation of former President Kim Dae Jung's visit to the North in June. The ROK also had hoped to schedule the next round of the general officer-level talks and a second round of the N-S Defense Ministerial. ¶4. (C) Confirming press reports, MOFAT, MND and UNCMAC interlocutors told us that the talks failed to make any progress on the main agenda items, with both sides holding ground on their issues of importance. The ROK's effort to discuss key issues was blocked by the North's exclusive focus on redrawing the Northern Limit Line (NLL). The DPRK delegation reiterated its previous stance from the last round in March (reftel) that the NLL issue had to be addressed before the talks could cover other issues. The ROK tried to defer the NLL issue to a ministerial-level meeting, but the North held firm to its position. ¶5. (C) The North Korean delegation's insistence on the NLL issue prevented the ROK delegation from pursuing fully any of its agenda topics. The two sides were unable to set a date for a future round of general officer talks nor were they able to propose a date for a second N-S Defense Ministerial Meeting. The two sides also failed to agree on a joint statement. ¶6. (C) Although the ROKG's expectations were low, MOFAT official commented that the ROK delegation was surprised the North would not even cooperate on the issue of safe passage to and from Pyongyang. Given the importance of former President Kim Dae Jung's trip, ROK officials had hoped that the DPRK delegation would accommodate the ROK's request, separate from other issues including the NLL. MINTON