Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SEOUL1900
2009-12-03 05:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
DFM LEE SAYS ROK WELCOMES NEW U.S. APPROACH ON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #1900 3370549 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 030549Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6392 INFO RUCNKOR/KOREA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1798 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSFK SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUACAAA/COMUSKOREA INTEL SEOUL KOR PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001900
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2039
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM SOCI BM KS KN
SUBJECT: DFM LEE SAYS ROK WELCOMES NEW U.S. APPROACH ON
BURMA
Classified By: DCM MARK A. TOKOLA. REASONS 1.4 (B/D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001900
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2039
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM SOCI BM KS KN
SUBJECT: DFM LEE SAYS ROK WELCOMES NEW U.S. APPROACH ON
BURMA
Classified By: DCM MARK A. TOKOLA. REASONS 1.4 (B/D)
1. (C) DCM delivered reftel points on December 1 to Deputy
Foreign Minister Lee Young-joon, asking the ROK to urge the
Burmese government to engage in serious dialogue with the
opposition and allow ASSK to meet with the National League
for Democracy's entire leadership council. DFM Lee said the
ROKG welcomed the change in U.S. strategy on Burma. He
related that Seoul had resumed high-level dialogue with Burma
in January, when he led a delegation there to win the release
of a small group of DPRK refugees and encourage the GOB to
allow other North Korean refugees to regularly transit Burma.
DFM Lee explained that, at that time, the GOB's "price" for
such cooperation was the establishment of regular dialogue
and policy consultations at the Deputy Foreign Minister level.
2. (C) During his January visit, Lee related that he stressed
to all of his interlocutors the ROK's "strong hope" that
Burma would choose the path of democratization. Lee noted
the ROKG was deeply concerned about expanding
military-to-military ties between the GOB and the DPRK.
Burma had been purchasing small arms and ammunition from
North Korea only because international sanctions prevented
other countries from supplying such weapons. The result was
that sanctions were having the ironic effect of strengthening
the GOB's ties with Pyongyang -- a matter of great concern to
Seoul. According to Lee, the ROK was considering ways to
mitigate this trend and would be open to further discussions
with the USG on the subject. In closing, the DFM said his
Burmese interlocutors had expressed an irrational fear of
attack by the United States, eerily echoing North Korean
propaganda; "it was almost funny," he concluded.
STEPHENS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2039
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM SOCI BM KS KN
SUBJECT: DFM LEE SAYS ROK WELCOMES NEW U.S. APPROACH ON
BURMA
Classified By: DCM MARK A. TOKOLA. REASONS 1.4 (B/D)
1. (C) DCM delivered reftel points on December 1 to Deputy
Foreign Minister Lee Young-joon, asking the ROK to urge the
Burmese government to engage in serious dialogue with the
opposition and allow ASSK to meet with the National League
for Democracy's entire leadership council. DFM Lee said the
ROKG welcomed the change in U.S. strategy on Burma. He
related that Seoul had resumed high-level dialogue with Burma
in January, when he led a delegation there to win the release
of a small group of DPRK refugees and encourage the GOB to
allow other North Korean refugees to regularly transit Burma.
DFM Lee explained that, at that time, the GOB's "price" for
such cooperation was the establishment of regular dialogue
and policy consultations at the Deputy Foreign Minister level.
2. (C) During his January visit, Lee related that he stressed
to all of his interlocutors the ROK's "strong hope" that
Burma would choose the path of democratization. Lee noted
the ROKG was deeply concerned about expanding
military-to-military ties between the GOB and the DPRK.
Burma had been purchasing small arms and ammunition from
North Korea only because international sanctions prevented
other countries from supplying such weapons. The result was
that sanctions were having the ironic effect of strengthening
the GOB's ties with Pyongyang -- a matter of great concern to
Seoul. According to Lee, the ROK was considering ways to
mitigate this trend and would be open to further discussions
with the USG on the subject. In closing, the DFM said his
Burmese interlocutors had expressed an irrational fear of
attack by the United States, eerily echoing North Korean
propaganda; "it was almost funny," he concluded.
STEPHENS