UKRAINE TO PARTICIPATE IN GICNT IN SEOUL DESPITE

UNCLAS KYIV 000498 SENSITIVE SIPDIS ISN/WMDT FOR MIA TER HAAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP PARM PINS PREL PTER KGIC UP SUBJECT: UKRAINE TO PARTICIPATE IN GICNT IN SEOUL DESPITE LIMITED FUNDS REF: A. STATE 09099 ¶B. STATE 18574 ¶C. STATE 22354 (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. Not for Internet. Mail Delivered -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Embassy delivered Ref B and Ref C points jointly with Anatoliy Sirotyuk of the Russian Embassy to Oleh Klynchenko at Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on March 18. Klynchenko, who heads the MFA's Political Planning Division, said that Ukraine hoped to send up to two representatives to Seoul for the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) workshop and Exercise Planning Group (EPG) in April, but it lacked funding. He said that as a last resort, Ukraine's Ambassador to Korea would attend the EPG. Money scarce, but intention firm -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Klynchenko confirmed that Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS) had requested USG funding though the Embassy's EXBS program advisor to send one employee to Seoul. In a separate conversation, Post's EXBS confirmed it supported the SBGS request and that it was waiting on final approval. ¶3. (SBU) Klynchenko explained that the GOU would not send representatives to the GICNT meeting in Garmisch, Germany in April (Ref A). However, he said that Ukraine was committed to participating in all major GICNT events even if it could not attend every meeting. He emphasized, however, that the lack funding would remain an obstacle in the foreseeable future. Korean Embassy Not Instructed -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Embassy met with Minister Counselor Jae-Han Koo of the Embassy of Korea about the joint demarche, who explained that he had not been informed by his Government about the GICNT event in Seoul. He said he was not available to deliver the demarche jointly but asked to be informed of the GOU response. Despite Ref B concerns, the Russian Embassy was very responsive our request to participate in this and a previous joint GICNT demarche. TAYLOR