ROKG SUPPORTS USG ARF PROPOSALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001532 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/RSP KEVIN SHEIVES E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017 TAGS: PREL ARF KNNP PTER KS SUBJECT: ROKG SUPPORTS USG ARF PROPOSALS REF: A. STATE 64134 ¶B. SEOUL 1413 Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 4. ¶2. (C) On May 18, Kim Jong-min of the Security Policy Division and Kim Jae-woo, Deputy Director of the Disarmament and Nonproliferation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),delivered the ROKG official response to reftel A demarche and provided comments on the proposed Nonproliferation Inter-sessional Meeting (ISM). MOFAT's previous responses regarding the ISM Working Group proposal and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Statement were reported reftel B. ¶3. (C) Kim Jong-min said that the ROKG intends to support all three U.S. proposals. He noted that the proposals would be very helpful to move the ARF into a more action-oriented body that is conducive to confidence-building and preventative diplomacy. Kim Jae-woo said that the ROKG agrees with the U.S. proposal for the Nonproliferation ISM and does not support the Indonesian suggestion to retitle the ISM. ¶4. (C) Action Request: Noting that the ROKG submitted a second report in September of 2005, Kim Jae-woo requested clarification of whether paragraph one of the proposed ARF statement would require countries to submit a third report. End Action Request. VERSHBOW