ESTONIAN RESPONSE TO NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR TEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L TALLINN 000908 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2011 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP EN SUBJECT: ESTONIAN RESPONSE TO NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR TEST DEMARCHE REF: STATE 166404 Classified By: CDA Jeff Goldstein, for reasons 1.4 (b)&(d) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel demarche on the North Korean threat to test a nuclear device, MFA Third Political Department Director General Simmu Tiik said that the GOE understands that the North's threat poses a serious challenge to both peace and security in North East Asia and to the global economy. Tiik noted that since Estonia does not have relations with the DPRK, it cannot pursue this issue directly with the North, but promised it would engage on the issue in EU forums. ¶2. (C) Tiik added that the permanent members of the UN Security Council will now play the most important role. He said it was worrisome that in the case of Iran, some of the permanent members had shown themselves unwilling to push the matter too hard. In this vein, Tiik understands that the Chinese have told several EU member states at a variety of levels that their influence with North Korea is not as great as it once had been. GOLDSTEIN