Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SEOUL422
2008-03-04 03:39:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:  

SEOUL UPDATE ON 747 AIRCRAFT BOUND FOR IRAN

Tags:  EAIR ETRD ETTC KLIG PREL IR KS UK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0148
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #0422 0640339
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 040339Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8756
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0979
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1763
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T SEOUL 000422 

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EEB/ESC/TFS, ISN/CPI, EEB/OTF, EAP/K
NSC FOR PAN AND CHANG
TREASURY FOR OFAC
COMMERCE FOR OEE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: EAIR ETRD ETTC KLIG PREL IR KS UK
SUBJECT: SEOUL UPDATE ON 747 AIRCRAFT BOUND FOR IRAN

REF: (A) STATE 18255 (B) SEOUL 363 (C) STATE 21134

Classified By: DCM BILL STANTON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B&D).

S E C R E T SEOUL 000422

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EEB/ESC/TFS, ISN/CPI, EEB/OTF, EAP/K
NSC FOR PAN AND CHANG
TREASURY FOR OFAC
COMMERCE FOR OEE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2018
TAGS: EAIR ETRD ETTC KLIG PREL IR KS UK
SUBJECT: SEOUL UPDATE ON 747 AIRCRAFT BOUND FOR IRAN

REF: (A) STATE 18255 (B) SEOUL 363 (C) STATE 21134

Classified By: DCM BILL STANTON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B&D).


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see Para 5.


2. (S/NF) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT)
officials in the Divisions of Disarmament and
Nonproliferation, and the Middle East discussed Ref (C)
responses with Embassy officers on March 3. MOFAT had
received the USG replies on February 29 via the Korean
Embassy in Washington.


3. (S/NF) Disarmament and Nonproliferation A/Director Kim
Jae-woo stressed that the ROKG had taken extraordinary action
to place a hold on the three aircraft, but this detention was
authorized on limited safety and technical grounds that could
not be extended indefinitely. Accordingly, he asked that the
USG share as much information as possible to strengthen the
ROKG's efforts to detain the aircraft. In particular, Kim
asked:

--how long is the ROKG expected to hold the aircraft? Kim
suggested the detention period should be "a matter of days
and weeks, and not months," because the ROKG's statutory
basis was limited and such a long detention risked putting in
motion a precedent-setting international legal case with an
uncertain outcome. Kim acknowledged the uncertainties and
difficulties of determining the final destination of the
aircraft, and that new enforcement modalities might be
forthcoming in the form of another UNSCR. In the absence of
such modalties, however, he asked again for our best-effort
estimate of the length of time that the USG was likely to
need to resolve this case.

--were the aircraft in question U.S.-registered? Kim noted
registration was irrelevant for the enforcement of U.S.
Export Administration Regulations, but emphasized that this
information was nonetheless important for the ROKG to sort
out their own complex issues involving international law,
aviation conventions, and bilateral treaties. As noted in
Ref (B),MOFAT had previously indicated the aircraft might
have been registered by United Airlines. MOFAT was looking
for USG confirmation.

--what was our best-effort assessment of the "law enforcement
alternatives" mentioned in the penultimate talking point of
Ref (A)? Kim reiterated that two aircraft (tail nos. N192UA
and N106UA) were ready to fly, having undergone extensive
overhauls. As a result, the ROKG had a very limited basis
for detaining these aircraft and no precedent for redirecting
them to another country. He therefore repeated his request
for our best-effort assessment of the "law enforcement
alternatives" that the USG would consider.


4. (S/NF) Finally, Kim stressed that the ROKG's
inter-agency group monitoring this case was committed to
assisting the USG in resolving this case. In this light, the
USG's answers to the questions above would be extremely
helpful in enhancing the ROKG's enforcement cooperation.


5. (S/NF) ACTION REQUESTED: Post would appreciate responses
to the three questions in para (3) above and any additional
guidance to help the ROKG assess its next steps, in the event
of Balli Group's non-compliance with Commerce's redelivery
order.
VERSHBOW