DPRK SANCTIONS: RUSSIAN MFA HOPES TO HAVE RESPONSE

UNCLAS MOSCOW 001772 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PARM UNSC KN RS SUBJECT: DPRK SANCTIONS: RUSSIAN MFA HOPES TO HAVE RESPONSE BY FRIDAY, JULY 10 REF: STATE 70266 ¶1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified, and is not meant for Internet distribution. ¶2. (SBU) Per reftel request, Post delivered the demarche on DPRK sanctions designations to Russian MFA International Organization Department's North Korea action officer Anna Yevstegneyeva. Our British Embassy colleague, having received similar instructions to demarche the MFA, joined the meeting. ¶3. (SBU) Yevstegneyeva indicated that Foreign Minister Lavrov had instructed that a "compromise" be found by the July 12 deadline so as to prevent the issue from being referred back to the Council. The MFA, having received last week the Russian translation of the joint package of designations proposed by the U.S., the U.K., France, and Japan, is currently awaiting interagency input on the translated documents and hopes to formulate a coordinated response by Friday, July 10, which it will pass on in New York. While some Russian agencies have already indicated no major problems with the designations, the main export control entities responsible for implementing UNSCR 1874 and the Ministry of Defense have yet to weigh in. Yevstegneyeva told us that the GOR was likely to propose some adjustments to the designations, as there might be duplications in the lists contained in the joint package, but regardless would want to work out the issue by July 12. ¶4. (SBU) While reiterating GOR's desire to continue to work closely with the Six-Party and Security Council partners regarding North Korea, Yevstegneyeva requested that the U.S. and allies in the future provide longer than 30 days for the consideration of complicated lists. "When you present us with such a lengthy set of documents, you have already had the time to formulate your positions, while for us the work is just beginning." The slow nature of the Russian bureaucracy, according to her, and the lack of English language abilities in the other ministries and agencies, make it difficult for the GOR to formulate a speedy response on sanctions designations. BEYRLE