INTERIM DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO PROPOSED KOREA

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