POTUS EUROPEAN-BASED MISSILE DEFENSE DECISION

UNCLAS SEOUL 001497 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MARR EZ KS SUBJECT: POTUS EUROPEAN-BASED MISSILE DEFENSE DECISION DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 96550 ¶1. (U) On September 18, PolOff delivered reftel talking points concerning the U.S. proposed policy regarding missile defense in Europe to Kim Sung-eun, Disarmament and Nonproliferation Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Kim's only response was to question whether the U.S. and Russia had already reached an agreement on the START treaty negotiations following the presidential summit in July ¶2009. Following the Q&A's provided in the cable, Poloff responded that the U.S. will not negotiate limitations on missile defense capabilities in the START follow-on treaty with Russia. STEPHENS