ROKG INTENDS TO HOLD JUNE CGPCS MEETING IN SEOUL

UNCLAS SEOUL 000390 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EWWT KCRM PREL KS MOPS PHSA SUBJECT: ROKG INTENDS TO HOLD JUNE CGPCS MEETING IN SEOUL REF: STATE 23146 ¶1. (SBU) On March 12, poloff delivered to Oh Youjin, International Security Affairs Division within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT),the information in reftel para 3 regarding the June session of the Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS). ¶2. (SBU) Oh conveyed the following information. -- The ROKG will announce in Cairo its intention to hold in June a meeting tentatively titled, "High-level Meeting on Somali Piracy and International Maritime Forum." "High-level" refers to the type of persons who should attend the meeting. -- The proposed meeting would occur in Seoul. -- The proposed meeting would not be limited to CGPCS members, but members of the International Maritime Organization would be invited to attend. -- The ROKG planned to offer financial support to countries that would have trouble financing a Seoul trip. -- The Ministry of Transport planned on co-sponsoring the meeting with MOFAT. -- A donor's conference will not be part of the meeting. ¶3. (SBU) Following guidance from Washington, Post has encouraged the ROKG to consider hosting the Contact Group in New York to make it easier for other countries to attend, but MOFAT has informed us that they still prefer to host the meeting here in Seoul. STEPHENS