Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09UNVIEVIENNA245
2009-05-28 12:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
UNVIE
Cable title:  

CTBTO: Update on DPRK Alleged Nuclear Test as of 27 May

Tags:  AORC KTBT PARM ENRG 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUNV #0245 1481220
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281220Z MAY 09
FM USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9510
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUMIPAA/AFTAC AMHS PATRICK AFB FL
INFO RHEBAAA/DOE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DOD WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1662
UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000245 

DEPT FOR ISN/MNA, VCI/NA, L/ACV, IO/T, T, S/T-T
DOE FOR NN-40
JCS FOR J5/DDIN
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP, ATSH/NCB/NT, AND DTRA
OVP FOR BLINKEN AND WOLFSTHAL

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC KTBT PARM ENRG
SUBJECT: CTBTO: Update on DPRK Alleged Nuclear Test as of 27 May
2009

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000245

DEPT FOR ISN/MNA, VCI/NA, L/ACV, IO/T, T, S/T-T
DOE FOR NN-40
JCS FOR J5/DDIN
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP, ATSH/NCB/NT, AND DTRA
OVP FOR BLINKEN AND WOLFSTHAL

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC KTBT PARM ENRG
SUBJECT: CTBTO: Update on DPRK Alleged Nuclear Test as of 27 May
2009


1. Please see para six for guidance requests.


2. The Chair of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) convened a meeting of
the Preparatory Commission May 26 to discuss the claimed DPRK
nuclear test. All delegations that spoke were strongly critical of
the DPRK. For the most part, delegations used language from
statements already issued by their Foreign Ministers or heads of
state. The Australian Preparatory Commission will now issue a
summary of the statements.


3. The Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the CTBTO also
provided a brief technical update on their preliminary findings.
Atmospheric modeling was still under way, but the PTS continued to
hope that radioactive debris would reach either the radionuclide
station at Ussuriysk in Russia, or the Takasaki station in Japan, in
a short time. The noble gas systems at both stations are currently
operational.


4. The PTS further announced that preliminary analysis of the
seismic data showed the possibility of two near-simultaneous events,
most likely an explosion triggering tremors in the region.
Unusually in this case,the tremors could have been stronger than the
explosion, thus increasing the apparent magnitude of the explosion.
The PTS cautioned that their analysis is still very preliminary.
The Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB) is due out early Thursday morning,
May 28, and the REB should contain more detailed analysis of the
seismic event.


5. Comments: Thus far, the International Monitoring System has
performed well, keeping to its prescribed reporting timeline. The
2006 DPRK test was picked up by only thirteen seismic stations, so
the fact the 39 stations reported on the event this week is a
significant improvement, reflecting an increase in the number of
stations and upgrades in the seismic arrays at other stations.
Attention will now shift to the noble gas systems. The most
significant development since 200t is the increase in the number of
radionuclide stations with noble gas systems in the immediate
neighborhood of the DPRK. Only ten of the projected forty noble gas
systems had been constructed in 2006. There are now twenty stations
providing data on noble gas, and all systems should be constructed
by 2013. Station RN 58 close to the DPRK border at Ussuriysk,
Russian Federation, is particularly important, since it has recently
been equipped with a noble gas system.


6. Action request: the PTS reports several countries have shared
information from their national systems with the PTS. the PTS has
asked for information for the United States as well. Mission
requests consideration of providing relevant information to the PTS
concerning the DPRK alleged test. We have also had requests from
the UK and France to convene a P5 meeting at the working level in
Vienna to discuss the DPRK event. Mission requests guidance on such
a meeting as well.

SCHULTE