URGING ASEAN IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1874: ROK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001000 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MTS, ISN/CPI, IO, AND T E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2019 TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC MTCRE KS KN SUBJECT: URGING ASEAN IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1874: ROK RESPONSE REF: SECSTATE 64133 Classified By: POLMC Joseph Yun for reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para 3. ¶2. (C) On June 23, POLMC conveyed reftel points to Shin Dong-ik, Director-General for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, asking the ROKG to seek greater cooperation from the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) on implementing UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1874. DG Shin said the ROKG welcomed all opportunities to make UNSCR 1874 implementation stronger. Shin agreed that Seoul will seek opportunities to press the ASEAN individually and collectively. In his experience, Shin opined, there would be resistance within ASEAN. Countries such as Indonesia, Laos, and perhaps Malaysia could resist, preferring not to do much. Shin believed Thailand and Singapore would be helpful. Burma would of course be quite reluctant to embrace such a resolution. POLMC noted that an ASEAN statement on UNSCR 1874 could be a natural follow-up measure to the ASEAN-ROK joint statement of June 2, which condemned the North Korean nuclear and missile tests, and that such a statement could make a material difference in the Burmese willingness to implement UNSCR 1874. DG Shin also thought that ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum),which was devoted to security issues, could be a more effective venue to pursue ASEAN cooperation. POLMC responded that North Korea's recent missile and nuclear tests could well be an issue for the upcoming ARF, but that Washington would strongly prefer to take actions now. Shin agreed that the ROKG too wanted early actions toward implementing UNSCR 1874. ¶3. (C) Action Request: DG Shin requested information on the recent press reports of a North Korean ship ("Kang Nam") now reportedly being watched by the USG for possible violations of UNSCR 1874. STEPHENS