MONGOLIA OFFERS TO HOST 6-PARTY PEACE AND SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ULAANBAATAR 000044 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/K AND EAP/CM E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2018 TAGS: PREL KNUC MARR KS KN MG SUBJECT: MONGOLIA OFFERS TO HOST 6-PARTY PEACE AND SECURITY WORKING GROUP MEETING REF: 07 ULAANBAATAR 0420 Classified By: Ambassador Mark C. Minton for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) ¶1. (U) This is an action cable. See action requested in para ¶3. ¶2. (C) Mongolian Foreign Ministry Advisor to the Foreign Minister Ambassador B. Doljintseren invited the DCM in January 23 to note that Mongolia wants to be helpful in the peace process in Northeast Asia and that last year Mongolia had hosted an informal meeting between Japan and North Korea. Mongolia wished to offer to host a future meeting of the 6-Party Talk's Peace and Security Working Group, which Russia leads, he said. He said the USG was the first to be consulted but he planned to broach this subject with representatives from the other Embassies. He hoped the USG would support Mongolia's offer. ¶3. (U) ACTION REQUESTED: Post would appreciate Washington's guidance on how to reply to this offer, which is not the first time Mongolia has made such a proposal (reftel). ¶4. (C) Doljintseren also noted Mongolia's desire to participate in a Northeast Asia security mechanism, should one evolve. He added that Mongolia had earlier expressed its desire to join the 6-Party peace process, but he understood the USG's desire to achieve results before considering expansion of that grouping. ¶4. (C) MFA G. Tumurchuluun, MFA's Deputy Director for Policy Planning, Information, and Monitoring Department (and head of MFA's APEC effort),took the opportunity to reiterate Mongolia's desire to join APEC. He acknowledged that Mongolia should be more active in participating in those APEC events open to it. MINTON