PSI: WELCOMING SOUTH KOREA AS A PSI PARTICIPANT

UNCLAS STATE 064064 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDING SENSITIVE CAPTION) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL KS SUBJECT: PSI: WELCOMING SOUTH KOREA AS A PSI PARTICIPANT AND OPERATIONAL EXPERTS DELEGATION VISIT PLANNING REF: SEOUL 000830 Sensitive But Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request. Please see para 3. ¶2. (SBU) On May 26 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced the South Korean Government's (ROKG) official endorsement of, and participation in, the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) as a way to address the significant threat that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles has had on global peace and security (REFTEL). On several occasions in DC and in Seoul, ROKG officials expressed interest in learning more about the PSI and participation opportunities in PSI activities. The U.S. proposes sending an interagency team of PSI operational experts to brief ROKG officials on PSI activities and U.S. interagency "best practices." The delegation would be led by Tony Foley, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation and Steve Schleien, OSD Director for Transnational Threats. The delegation will also include representatives from agencies normally involved in the policy-making and operational implementation of the PSI, including DOD, DHS, Department of Treasury, and the Department of State, including appropriate Embassy representatives in Seoul. Ambassador Stephens met with OSD and DOS on 18 June and received a brief on US-ROK engagement on PSI and supports this approach. ¶3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Department requests post's assistance to coordinate with ROKG a one day visit during the week of July 20th. An interagency team will be in ROK during this week for the U.S.-ROK Security Policy Initiative (SPI) (July 23rd) meetings with Ministry of National Defense officials. The SPI will include PSI as an agenda topic. Embassy is requested to coordinate with appropriate ROKG officials to arrange a PSI workshop (preferably one large interagency meeting, if possible) with host country officials from appropriate agencies including Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Justice, Blue House, Coast Guard and relevant law enforcement, customs, and intelligence officials. ROKG attendees should include appropriate policy, operational, and legal (customs law, international / maritime law) representatives. Embassy is requested to provide to host government the non-paper in paragraph 4 below, containing information about ways in which ROKG can participate in the PSI, including upcoming PSI activities. ¶4. (SBU) Begin text of non-paper for ROK: -- The United States welcomes Republic of Korea,s (ROKG) endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). We look forward to exchanging information about the PSI and working together with you and other PSI partners to advance the counter-proliferation goals of the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles. -- As you know, the PSI is a cooperative effort among sovereign states committed to stopping proliferation- related transfers to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern by using their respective national authorities and relevant international legal frameworks, including UN Security Council Resolutions. States participating in the PSI work together to develop legal, diplomatic, economic, law enforcement, intelligence, and other capabilities to interdict shipments of proliferation concern. -- While all PSI activities are voluntary and vary according to an individual country's capabilities and legal authorities, every country can contribute in some way to the PSI's goal of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and related materials. -- In order to be an effective PSI partner in halting WMD proliferation, we recommend as a first step that ROKG assess its national capabilities and legal authorities to stop any transfers of proliferation concern, whether by land, sea, or air, and determine what it can do to close any gaps identified in law enforcement or other authorities, including in strategic trade controls and enforcement, or in ports, territorial seas, or airspace, and, as the ROK Diplomatic Note articulated, the South-North Korean Agreement on Maritime Transportation, which the ROK will continue to respect. -- We understand that your government is interested in participating in PSI capacity-building activities, particularly exercises and workshops. PSI activities are an excellent way to improve national interdiction capabilities, explore related issues in the legal, law enforcement and intelligence arenas, and enhance international coordination. -- The State Department PSI website at http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c10390.htm lists upcoming exercises in which your government may wish to participate. In addition, a menu of past and planned PSI events is posted at http://www.state.gov/t/isn/ c27700.htm. Additional information available for all PSI partners is available at the PSI website hosted by the Government of Germany (http://www.psi.diplo.de). Access can be requested through the German Foreign Office. -- PSI Regional OEG Meeting. A European Operational Experts Group (OEG) meeting will take place in Poland from June 22-24. We understand that the ROKG has been invited to attend and will send five officials. During this meeting, the U.S. delegation has scheduled a separate bilateral meeting with the ROKG delegation, led by Mr. Lee Jang-keun, Director, Disarmament and Nonproliferation (MOFAT),to discuss ROKG participation in PSI. -- PSI Interagency Workshop. The U.S. is amenable to sending an interagency team to Seoul at ROKG's convenience to provide deeper background on how to organize for and participate in PSI. Issues to be covered could include: developing a national response plan and decision-making process for WMD-related interdiction; proliferation finance tools; understanding interdiction options allowable within the bounds of national authorities and international legal frameworks, including relevant UN Security Council Resolutions; understanding the full range of non-military interdiction tools, and more. -- Regional PSI Counterproliferation Workshop. The next PSI activity planned for the Asia-Pacific region is a three-day Regional PSI Counterproliferation Workshop for government experts from PSI-endorsing states in East Asia and the Pacific. The U.S. and Australia will co-host the workshop, which will be held in Sydney, Australia on September 15-17. Its goal is to enhance the knowledge and capabilities of governments so they can participate more robustly in PSI activities, especially real-world interdictions. -- Exercise DEEP SABRE II. Singapore is planning to host PSI exercise DEEP SABRE II October 27-30. DEEP SABRE II is a regional maritime interdiction exercise. We encourage ROKG to contact Government of Singapore to seek and coordinate ROKG participation. End text of non-paper. POINT OF CONTACT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Questions may be directed to ISN/CPI Carlos Guzman, 202-647-6320). Please slug responses for State/ISN/CPI (Carlos Guzman,GuzmanCS@state. (sgov).gov) and OSD GSA (Beth Flores, beth.flores@osd. (smil).mil ). Post's assistance is greatly appreciated. CLINTON