LETTER FROM SECRETARY RICE TO SOUTH KOREAN FM

UNCLAS STATE 111767 SIPDIS, SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL KS SUBJECT: LETTER FROM SECRETARY RICE TO SOUTH KOREAN FM YU ON ASIA-PACIFIC DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP ¶1. (U) PLEASE DELIVER THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY RICE TO FOREIGN MINISTER YU MYUNG-HWAN AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME. THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT PLAN TO RELEASE THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGE BUT HAS NO OBJECTION IF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WISHES TO DO SO. THERE WILL BE NO SIGNED ORIGINAL. ¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: DEAR MR. MINISTER: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST SENIOR OFFICIALS' MEETING OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP (APDP). THE UNITED STATES IS PLEASED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR DAVID J. KRAMER WILL REPRESENT THE UNITED STATES AT THE MEETING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE AND PRAGMATIC SESSION THAT BUILDS UPON DISCUSSIONS HELD DURING THE PLANNING MEETING IN MONGOLIA ON JULY 1. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THE SENIOR OFFICIALS' MEETING WILL RESULT IN AGREEMENT ON THE RANGE OF ISSUES YOU IDENTIFIED IN YOUR SEPTEMBER 19 LETTER IN ORDER TO SET APDP ON A FIRM FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE. YOUR GOVERNMENT'S HOSTING OF THIS INAUGURAL APDP MEETING REFLECTS THE SHARED COMMITMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THESE ISSUES, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS OF THE MEETING. SINCERELY, CONDOLEEZZA RICE RICE