Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SEOUL3882
2006-11-11 04:40:00
SECRET
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
ROK TO ANNOUNCE POSITION ON PSI NOVEMBER 13, 2006
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #3882/01 3150440 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 110440Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1245 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1486 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 8285 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 7597 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1578 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP// PRIORITY
S E C R E T SEOUL 003882
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO EAP: A/S HILL, T: U/S JOSEPH AND
ISN PDAS MCNERNEY.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KNNP CH KN KS JA
SUBJECT: ROK TO ANNOUNCE POSITION ON PSI NOVEMBER 13, 2006
Classified By: CDA BILL STANTON. REASONS: 1.4 (b/d)
S E C R E T SEOUL 003882
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO EAP: A/S HILL, T: U/S JOSEPH AND
ISN PDAS MCNERNEY.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KNNP CH KN KS JA
SUBJECT: ROK TO ANNOUNCE POSITION ON PSI NOVEMBER 13, 2006
Classified By: CDA BILL STANTON. REASONS: 1.4 (b/d)
1. (S) On Saturday, November 11, Deputy Foreign Minister for
Policy Planning and International Organizations, Park
In-kook, met with the Charge and POL-MIL Chief to preview the
following ROK announcement -- planned for release at 15:00
(Seoul Time) on November 13 -- on South Korea's participation
in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
BEGIN TEXT OF DRAFT STATEMENT
The Republic of Korea supports the purpose and principles of
PSI and will adjust the scope of its participation in
accordance with its own judgment. Taking into account the
unique circumstances on the Korean Peninsula, the ROKG will
decide on activities to be taken in waters surrounding the
Korean Peninsula in accordance with relevant domestic and
international laws.
END TEXT OF DRAFT STATEMENT
2. (S) DFM Park requested on behalf of his government that
the USG welcome the announcement. Despite falling short of
"endorsing" the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles,
Park argued that it will in fact result in expanded
participation by the ROK in PSI activities. He explained the
statement was the product of an intense high-level domestic
political debate resulting in internal compromise within the
ROK government. According to Park, PSI had initially, and
mistakenly, been portrayed to the Korean public as equating
to a Cuban Missile Crisis-style blockade of North Korea. As
a result, the ruling Uri Party was vehemently opposed to
unconditional endorsement of PSI. Park assured the Charge
that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had argued in
favor of endorsement, and that former Foreign Minister (now
UN Secretary General-designate) Ban Ki-moon and new Foreign
Minister-designate Song Min-soon had both expended
significant amounts of political capital in a failed attempt
to persuade party leaders to ease their opposition.
3. (S) Park informed the Charge that he planned to deliver
the statement to the public on November 13. At the same
time, he would also announce the content of the ROKG's report
to the UN Security Council on implementation of UNSCR 1718,
Park said, while the Ministry of Unification would publicly
outline unilateral actions it would take in response to the
DPRK July 4 missile launches and October 9 nuclear test.
Park revealed that all three announcements were to be
formalized at a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister for key
National Assembly figures later in the day.
4. (S) Park stressed the following points concerning the PSI
announcement:
-- The ROK leadership believes the statement is a "great
concession."
-- Ban Ki-moon and Song Min-soon both understood the USG
would likely not be satisfied.
-- MOFAT wished to coordinate with the USG to downplay
publicly the gap in our respective positions.
-- MOFAT requested the USG welcome the statement as
"progress" but also "encourage fuller ROK participation" in
PSI. MOFAT would be able to use this to continue to build
support for PSI, Park said.
-- Park strongly urged that Washington make no official
statements claiming the ROK has "endorsed" PSI. That would
make Song Min-soon vulnerable to accusations he had made a
secret deal under-the-table with Washington, Park explained.
SIPDIS
-- When asked by reporters why the ROK was not "endorsing"
PSI, Park said he planned to stress that the ROKG position
reflected its "special status" on the Korean Peninsula.
5. (S) Overall, Park claimed the ROK position would put
South Korea "on the right track" toward eventual endorsement
of PSI. "If the November 13 announcement is handled well by
both capitals, President Roh can be further persuaded to move
down that track," he said. Furthermore, the USG could fully
trust Song Min-soon and MOFAT to ensure full ROK
participation in PSI, Park asserted.
6. (S) COMMENT: Led by the Ambassador, Embassy has
continued to press for full ROK participation in PSI, as did
U/S Joseph during his November 7 visit to Seoul. The ROKG
has clearly gotten the message, but the proposed statement
appears to be the best they believe they can do for now. END
COMMENT.
STANTON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO EAP: A/S HILL, T: U/S JOSEPH AND
ISN PDAS MCNERNEY.
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KNNP CH KN KS JA
SUBJECT: ROK TO ANNOUNCE POSITION ON PSI NOVEMBER 13, 2006
Classified By: CDA BILL STANTON. REASONS: 1.4 (b/d)
1. (S) On Saturday, November 11, Deputy Foreign Minister for
Policy Planning and International Organizations, Park
In-kook, met with the Charge and POL-MIL Chief to preview the
following ROK announcement -- planned for release at 15:00
(Seoul Time) on November 13 -- on South Korea's participation
in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
BEGIN TEXT OF DRAFT STATEMENT
The Republic of Korea supports the purpose and principles of
PSI and will adjust the scope of its participation in
accordance with its own judgment. Taking into account the
unique circumstances on the Korean Peninsula, the ROKG will
decide on activities to be taken in waters surrounding the
Korean Peninsula in accordance with relevant domestic and
international laws.
END TEXT OF DRAFT STATEMENT
2. (S) DFM Park requested on behalf of his government that
the USG welcome the announcement. Despite falling short of
"endorsing" the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles,
Park argued that it will in fact result in expanded
participation by the ROK in PSI activities. He explained the
statement was the product of an intense high-level domestic
political debate resulting in internal compromise within the
ROK government. According to Park, PSI had initially, and
mistakenly, been portrayed to the Korean public as equating
to a Cuban Missile Crisis-style blockade of North Korea. As
a result, the ruling Uri Party was vehemently opposed to
unconditional endorsement of PSI. Park assured the Charge
that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had argued in
favor of endorsement, and that former Foreign Minister (now
UN Secretary General-designate) Ban Ki-moon and new Foreign
Minister-designate Song Min-soon had both expended
significant amounts of political capital in a failed attempt
to persuade party leaders to ease their opposition.
3. (S) Park informed the Charge that he planned to deliver
the statement to the public on November 13. At the same
time, he would also announce the content of the ROKG's report
to the UN Security Council on implementation of UNSCR 1718,
Park said, while the Ministry of Unification would publicly
outline unilateral actions it would take in response to the
DPRK July 4 missile launches and October 9 nuclear test.
Park revealed that all three announcements were to be
formalized at a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister for key
National Assembly figures later in the day.
4. (S) Park stressed the following points concerning the PSI
announcement:
-- The ROK leadership believes the statement is a "great
concession."
-- Ban Ki-moon and Song Min-soon both understood the USG
would likely not be satisfied.
-- MOFAT wished to coordinate with the USG to downplay
publicly the gap in our respective positions.
-- MOFAT requested the USG welcome the statement as
"progress" but also "encourage fuller ROK participation" in
PSI. MOFAT would be able to use this to continue to build
support for PSI, Park said.
-- Park strongly urged that Washington make no official
statements claiming the ROK has "endorsed" PSI. That would
make Song Min-soon vulnerable to accusations he had made a
secret deal under-the-table with Washington, Park explained.
SIPDIS
-- When asked by reporters why the ROK was not "endorsing"
PSI, Park said he planned to stress that the ROKG position
reflected its "special status" on the Korean Peninsula.
5. (S) Overall, Park claimed the ROK position would put
South Korea "on the right track" toward eventual endorsement
of PSI. "If the November 13 announcement is handled well by
both capitals, President Roh can be further persuaded to move
down that track," he said. Furthermore, the USG could fully
trust Song Min-soon and MOFAT to ensure full ROK
participation in PSI, Park asserted.
6. (S) COMMENT: Led by the Ambassador, Embassy has
continued to press for full ROK participation in PSI, as did
U/S Joseph during his November 7 visit to Seoul. The ROKG
has clearly gotten the message, but the proposed statement
appears to be the best they believe they can do for now. END
COMMENT.
STANTON