NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT ON MISSILE

S E C R E T BUDAPEST 000288 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CE JAMIE LAMORE. PLEASE PASS TO JEFF HOVENIER AND KHELGERSON AT THE NSC E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2019 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN HU SUBJECT: NORTH KOREAN DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT ON MISSILE LAUNCH REF: SECSTATE 33031 Classified By: Acting P/E Counselor Jon Martinson, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (S) During a meeting on April 9 unrelated to reftel, MFA Asia and Pacific Department Deputy Director Laszlo Kuti told PolOff that he met with the Vienna-based North Korean Deputy Chief of Mission on April 8 to discuss the recent missile launch. Kuti stated that the North Korean diplomat was under instructions to deliver a demarche expressing displeasure with the international community's response to the April 5 Taepo-Dong 2 missile launch. The diplomat told Kuti that the launch was a success and the communications satellite is currently transmitting "patriotic songs." ¶2. (S) Asked if the North Korean diplomat raised any issues related to the six-party talks, Kuti said that, although the EU does not participate in those discussions, the North Korean told him that the international response would have a negative, over-shadowing influence on future talks. Levine