DPRK: RICE MEETS WITH JAPANESE STATE SECRETARY ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000382 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2019 TAGS: PARM PREF PREL UNSC SUBJECT: DPRK: RICE MEETS WITH JAPANESE STATE SECRETARY ON DPRK MISSILE RESPONSE Classified By: Ambassador Susan Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador Rice met with Ito Shintaro, the Japanese State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and Yukio Takasu, Japan's Permanent Representative to the UN, April 9 to discuss the status of the Security Council's reaction to the DPRK's missile launch. Ito shared the Japanese government's view that the missile launch is one of its most pressing foreign policy issues and expects the Security Council to adopt a clear and strong resolution in response. Ambassador Rice outlined the current state of play, explaining that China, at this point, could only support a Security Council Presidential Statement (PRST) but had made considerable movement on all of the key elements that are necessary to show the North Koreans that there are real consequences for their actions. Rice conveyed that the Chinese elements include language condemning the launch, expressing that the launch was not in conformity with UNSCR 1718, demanding that the DPRK not conduct any further launches, and accepting that the Security Council agrees to adjust sanctions measures designating entities and goods under UNSCR 1718 by April 30. Although the United States wants a strong resolution, Rice explained that the United States is prepared to move forward on the basis of this text. Ito said that they did not have the authority to agree to a PRST. He said that Prime Minister Aso would meet with President Hu on Saturday morning in Thailand and until then the Japanese position would not change. He asked that the text not be circulated beyond the P5 1 until there was agreement in the P5 1. ¶2. (C) Ito's initial reaction to the proposed PRST elements was that both "format and content" of a Security Council response are important. He said Japan needed a resolution that clearly conveys that the DPRK violated resolutions 1695 and 1718, that ensures that sanctions will be carried out and that condemns the launch. Rice agreed with Ito, but said that, given the Chinese position, a PRST with strong elements was probably the best achievable outcome. She asked Ito what Japan would do if China, backed by Russia, remained absolutely committed to a PRST and refused to accept a resolution. Ito said that the Japan/China relationship is better than it was three years ago and that where the two countries views are divergent, they would seek to narrow them by "making a deal." ¶3. (C) Ito, concerned about sharing the draft elements of the PRST with the elected members of the Security Council before the Aso-Hu meeting, asked Rice to hold off sharing the draft with them until Saturday morning. Rice said that at this point she would not distribute the draft elements beyond the P-5 plus Japan and also conveyed that the United States would happily support a strong resolution as the outcome, if the Japanese Prime Minister could convince the Chinese, but added that she wanted to share the draft elements with the elected members of the Council as soon as possible to try to avoid the possibility that they would slow down the current momentum. In particular, Rice said that the United States wanted to move quickly and wanted to circulate the text to the elected members on Saturday, meet with them on Monday and take action in the Council on Tuesday. Rice