UK CONDEMNS DPRK MISSILE LAUNCH; SUPPORTS STRONG

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000843 NOFORN DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/WE, ISN, AND EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2019 TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP UK RU KN EU SUBJECT: UK CONDEMNS DPRK MISSILE LAUNCH; SUPPORTS STRONG RESPONSE TO CHAPTER 7 BREACH REF: A. SECSTATE 33031 ¶B. EMBASSY LONDON DAILY 04/06/09 Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C/NF) Summary. HMG convoked DPRK ambassador to express strong concern over the April 5 North Korean missile launch; supports a strong response to North Korea's violation of UNSCR 1718 to deter other proliferators; and believes Russia may be open to a new UNSCR. FCO contact indicated that DPRK officials' responses to UK/EU demarches had been predictable. End summary. ¶2. (C/NF) Poloff discussed the U.S. position on North Korea's April 5 missile launch (ref A) with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Korean Peninsula Team Leader Alisdair Walker on April 7. In addition to statements by Prime Minister Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband condemning the launch as a violation of UNSCR 1718 (ref B), Walker indicated that other HMG ministers were actively engaging on the issue, that the UK was fully in line with the USG position, and that the UK would work closely with USUN on any Security Council action. Poloff also shared reftel background points and presidential statement with the FCO's Counterproliferation Department as well as with relevant officers in the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defense. Walker noted that Foreign Office minister responsible for Asia, Bill Rammell, convoked DPRK Ambassador Ja Song Nam on April 6, after also speaking with him over the weekend, to convey the UK's "strong concern over the launch." Walker said that Rammell received a predictable response from Ambassador Ja, who stressed that the DPRK had the right to pursue the peaceful use of space. Rammell also gave several media interviews since Sunday expressing the UK position to the public. ¶3. (C/NF) Walker noted that the EU had also demarched DPRK officials in Pyongyang, and that the DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister had responded by saying if the UNSC imposed a new resolution the DPRK would walk away from the Six Party Talks. Walker noted that while Russia and China would obviously be the obstacles to any new UNSCR, the FCO believed that Russia might be "coming around" to the possibility. Additionally, HMG had originally maintained the position that a "robust and united front" was necessary to respond to the launch, but Walker said that the UK had dropped "united" from its position over concerns that this language would offer China the opportunity to push for something less than a UNSCR -- a press or presidential statement -- provided it was "united." Walker indicated that the UK supported a strong response to the violation of UNSCR 1718, "which was clearly a Chapter 7 breach," and was concerned that no action or a weak response would encourage other proliferators. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom LEBARON NNNN End Cable Text