UNCLAS STATE 082111

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
PACOM FOR FPA HUSO
EMBASSY SEOUL FOR POLMIL FCS AND DAO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL KCFE AC KS
SUBJECT: INTERIM DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO PROPOSED KOREA
ARMS VERIFICATION AGENCY (KAVA) VISIT TO U.S.

REF: A. SEOUL 1395

B. 05 STATE 161838

C. 05 STATE 158136


1. (U) This is an ACTION MESSAGE.


2. (U) In REFTEL A, Post requested guidance in responding to
the request from the Korea Arms Verification Agency (KAVA) to
visit venues and locations other than the Defense Threat
Reduction Agency (DTRA). Please relay points below to
appropriate Korean government (ROKG) interlocutors in
response to KAVA's request. For background, see Refs B & C
wherein Washington requested that KAVA coordinate its
non-consultative visits through Foreign Ministry channels.


3. (U) Begin Talking Points.

-- The Departments of State and Defense concur with and
approve the visit by KAVA officials to Washington for
consultations and discussions with counterparts at the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), scheduled for June
5-6, 2006. We urge KAVA to be in direct contact with DTRA
counterparts, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, and the Korean
Embassy in Washington as trip details are worked out.

-- Regarding the request to visit the 20th Support Command
and Chemical Materials Agency (CMA), we are unclear as to the
rationale and justification for this request. Given this
fact, the Departments of State and Defense believe that such
a visit by KAVA would not/not be appropriate at this time and
we can not approve KAVA's request for this portion of the
trip.

-- Regarding KAVA's request to visit McAlester Army
Ammunition Plant, we are unclear as to the rationale and
justification for this request. Given this fact, the
Departments of State and Defense can not/not approve this
request at this time.

-- With respect to KAVA's request to visit an unidentified
commercial chemical plant in the U.S., the rationale and
justification for this request are unclear. Any such visit,
when approved, should be done in consultation with the U.S.
Department of Commerce. Given this fact, the Departments of
State and Defense can not/not concur with this request at
this time.

-- Any further discussions of the non-DTRA portions of the
KAVA trip should be coordinated with appropriate U.S. Embassy
officials, not with DTRA.

End Talking Points.


4. (U) As needed, Post should clarify with KAVA the intent of
COL (R) Kim's visit and approve his itinerary, noting that
Washington views this trip as mid-level consultations to
share general arms control inspection and escort experiences
and, in the regard, to facilitate planning with DTRA for a
non-nuclear arms control exercise anticipated to be conducted
in the Republic of Korea in September 2006.
RICE