DPRK: COUNCIL FOCUSES ON SANCTIONS EXPERT PANEL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001065

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC MCAP KN UNSC
SUBJECT: DPRK: COUNCIL FOCUSES ON SANCTIONS EXPERT PANEL
REPORT


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The chair of the Security Council's DPRK
Sanctions Committee ("1718 Committee") briefed the Council
about the Committee's activities over the previous ninety
days, in particular noting its actions to respond to alleged
sanctions violations and support the establishment of the
Panel of Experts (POE). He also noted the POE's submission
to the Council of its interim report. Japan, France, the UK
and Austria lauded the POE's work and emphasized the need for
full implementation of UNSCRs 1718 and 1874. Amb. Wolff
urged the Committee to be active, called the POE's interim
report an "excellent basis" for its activities and reminded
the Council of the need to sustain international efforts to
enforce sanctions on the DPRK. China, Russia and Libya noted
the report and warned that the POE must act within its
mandate and not encroach on Committee prerogatives. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Turkish Perm Rep Apakan, chair of the Security
Council's DPRK Sanctions Committee ("1718 Committee") briefed
the Security Council on November 19 about the Committee's
activities over the previous ninety days (August 21 through
November 18). He noted that in this period, the Panel of
Experts (POE) -- an independent UN team mandated to monitor
and help improve the implementation of UN sanctions imposed
on the DPRK -- had begun its work. The POE, Apakan said, had
submitted to the Council on November 11 an interim report on
its efforts, as was requested in UNSCR 1874.


3. (SBU) Apakan highlighted the two reports of "alleged cases
of violations" of UNSCRs 1718 and 1874: a report from the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August and a report from the
Republic of Korea (ROK) in October. Regarding the UAE case,
he listed the various letters the Committee had sent to
states involved in the incident to request more information.


4. (SBU) Japanese Perm Rep Takasu commended the POE for its
interim report, which he called a "good framework" for its
future work. Takasu noted "mixed signals" from the DPRK,
including both indications that it is ready to return to the
Six-Party Talks, but also provocative actions in violation of
UNSCR 1874 such as the launch of short-range missiles in
October and the announcement in November that it had
completed reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods. These
incidents, he explained, showed that the Committee must
remain active and vigilant.


5. (SBU) French Charge de Riviere congratulated the POE for
its work and urged vigilance, especially over maritime
transport, in light of the two intercepted ships found
carrying contraband. UK Deputy Perm Rep Parham lauded the
POE's report and said that effective implementation of UNSCRs
1718 and 1874 would encourage the DPRK to return to the
Six-Party Talks. He also paid tribute to the Committee's
work following the successful interdiction of the vessel ANL
Australia, which contained illicit cargo, and said he hoped
the POE would help the Committee respond to this incident.
Austrian Perm Rep Mayr-Harting also expressed appreciation
for the POE's report and said that recent incidents of
non-compliance demonstrated the need for more effective
implementation of these measures.


6. (SBU) Amb. Wolff urged the 1718 Committee to be active in
carrying out its mandate, saying that the Committee, with the
POE's support, should become a model for effective
follow-through on UN sanctions resolutions. He characterized
the POE report as an "excellent basis" for its work in the
months ahead. The POE, he said, can help shine a light on
the recently-reported sanctions violations and recommend ways
to prevent their recurrence. Wolff also reminded the Council
of the need to maintain the international momentum behind
full implementation of UNSCRs 1718/1874, especially in light
of recent events such as the DPRK's missile launches.


7. (SBU) Chinese Deputy Perm Rep Liu, acknowledging that all
countries are obligated to implement UNSCRs 1718/1874, urged
against any expansion in the sanctions' scope that would
affect the normal life and trade of the DPRK. Liu asserted
that the Committee's work should be guided by its mandate and
be "relevant to the political situation." He welcomed the
recent enhancement of U.S.-DPRK bilateral contact.


8. (SBU) Russian Deputy Perm Rep Dolgov welcomed the
"serious intent" in the POE's report, but urged the group not
to go beyond its mandate or supersede the work of the
Committee. He said that certain tasks -- such as assessing
Member State reporting on their implementation or asking
states to provide more information about alleged sanctions
violations -- should remain the prerogative of the Committee.


The 1718 Committee's work, Dolgov emphasized, must
contribute to the resolution of the diplomatic dispute.
Libyan Deputy Perm Rep Dabbashi observed a "lessening of
tensions" on the Korean Peninsula. He added the POE must
abide by its mandate and not encroach on the Committee's
prerogatives.

RICE