GOE DIPLOMATIC NOTE ON NORTH KOREA

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000521 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP EC KN IR SUBJECT: GOE DIPLOMATIC NOTE ON NORTH KOREA REF: A. QUITO 254 ¶B. 08 QUITO 1162 ¶1. (C) The Foreign Ministry sent the Embassy a diplomatic note on June 4 which states Ecuador's adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, refers to related provisions in Ecuador's October 2008 constitution, and calls for resumption of the Six Party Talks. It is unclear precisely why the MFA chose to send the diplomatic note at this time. It may have been an effort to signal a stronger position on the DPRK nuclear test than the position the GOE took in response to our April 6 demarche on the Taepo-Dong 2 launch. The MFA response to that demarche was that, while it would observe UN resolutions, Japan overreacted and that all countries had the right to use technology for peaceful purposes (Ref A). ¶2. (C) In a separate conversation with the Ambassador, the ROK Ambassador to Ecuador suggested to us that the GOE had refrained from taking a tough position against North Korean actions to date because of the precedent this might set for Ecuador's dealings with Iran with which the GOE is now building a close relationship (Ref B). ¶3. (C) An informal translation of the MFA diplomatic note follows: The Bilateral Relations Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States and has the honor to express its concern about the development of weapons of mass destruction in the world, and especially about the nuclear test carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In addition, the Ministry highlights the fact that the Republic of Ecuador ratified in 1969 the Treaty for the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT),and in 1996, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT),and reiterates that the Constitution of Ecuador has as unchanging principles the preservation of world peace and security and the promotion of peace and universal disarmament, and condemns the development and use of weapons of mass destruction. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration considers it essential to achieve an effective international agreement that, in addition to non-proliferation, searches for mechanisms to make viable within the international community the international principles that Ecuador,s Constitution includes, and therefore makes a call to restart dialogue and negotiations among the Six Parties (People's Republic of China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, United States of America, Russian Federation and Japan) about the situation that the Korean Peninsula faces. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Integration avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurance of its highest consideration. Quito, June 4, 2009 (End text) HODGES