ROK CLOSE TO AGREEMENT TO HOST APDP; REQUESTS U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001847 SIPDIS DRL FOR A/S KRAMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KS SUBJECT: ROK CLOSE TO AGREEMENT TO HOST APDP; REQUESTS U.S. VIEWS ON PRELIMINARY THINKING REF: A. STATE 94545 ¶B. SEOUL 1757 ¶C. STATE 98066 ¶D. HALL-CAMPONOVO TELCON ¶E. 9/16/08 Classified By: DCM Bill Stanton. Reasons 1.4(b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Based on the Department's answers to his queries (refs B-D),Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral, Global, and Legal Affairs Oh Joon told the DCM on September 17 that he would recommend to the Foreign Minister that the ROK agree to host the Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP) Senior Officials' Meeting (ref A). Oh outlined further issues to be addressed in planning the meeting and requested our views and assistance. Post strongly recommends that DRL A/S Kramer meet Oh in New York on September 26 at the Community of Democracies meeting, as Oh requested, to discuss plans for the APDP meeting. End Summary ¶2. (C) Oh told the DCM that he would recommend to Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan that the ROKG agree to host an APDP Senior Officials' Meeting on October 31, 2008. Oh said he expects a final decision before he and the Foreign Minister depart for New York on September 21. ¶3. (C) Oh also requested, however, our views on the following preliminary ROKG ideas for the meeting: -- The ROK would plan to open the meeting with keynote addresses by Foreign Minister Yu and Mongolia's Foreign Minister. -- Three working sessions would follow the keynote remarks. Oh proposed that the ROK would chair the first session, the U.S. chair the second, and an ASEAN country, possibly the Philippines, would chair the third. Oh said the ROK has not yet discussed this plan with the Philippines. -- Invitees would include the Community of Democracy countries which were invited to the July 2008 Mongolia-hosted APDP meeting, plus Thailand. Oh said issuing invitations with separate but coordinated demarches by the USG and the ROKG would be most effective. -- The ROK expects that participants would bear their own expenses, except that the ROK is planning to assist Mongolia. Oh asked whether the U.S. would similarly assist Timor Leste if necessary. -- In preparation for the meeting, the ROK would want to share a concept paper with a concrete agenda. Oh asked that we provide ideas for a more specific agenda. -- The ROK anticipates that the results of the meeting would be published in the form of non-binding, consensual "Chair Summary." ¶4. (C) Recommendation: Agreeing to host the APDP Senior Officials' Meeting is no small decision for the ROKG, especially since its key neighbor China will not be invited to participate in this regional gathering. Also of concern for the ROK is the likely negative reaction from North Korea. Nonetheless, consistent with its own democratic ideals and desire to support regional U.S. policy initiatives, South Korea will likely decide to host the APDP meeting. In this context, Post strongly recommends that DRL A/S Kramer personally meet Deputy FM Oh in New York on September 26 to discuss plans for the APDP session in Seoul. Please confirm the appointment prior to Oh's departure for New York on September 21. VERSHBOW