UNSC CONDEMNS NUCLEAR TEST; BEGINS WORK ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000530 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC MCAP UNSC KN SUBJECT: UNSC CONDEMNS NUCLEAR TEST; BEGINS WORK ON RESOLUTION Classified By: Ambassador Rice for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Begin Summary. The Security Council roundly condemned North Korea's nuclear test in brief consultations following a P5 plus South Korea and Japan discussion, in which all delegations but China were prepared to agree to a formal Council press statement. The P5 2 ultimately agreed to elements to be read to the press by the Council president. During Council consultations, all members agreed to the elements and most explicitly agreed to start work immediately on a timely resolution in response to North Korea's actions. Many delegations also called for the DPRK to return to the Six-Party process and some also emphasized the importance of bringing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In a brief bilateral meeting on May 25 (held right before a meeting with the P5 plus South Korea and Japan), Chinese PR Zhang told Ambassador Rice that he did not have authorization from Beijing to agree to a formal Security Council press statement today but agreed that work on a new Security Council resolution in response to the DPRK nuclear test should begin immediately. ¶3. (C) In the P5 2 meeting that followed, Ambassador Rice emphasized that most of their governments had issued strong statements condemning the test. She said the Council must make a strong, clear press statement today indicating that it is getting to work on a strong Chapter VII resolution containing appropriate measures that will be finished this week. ¶4. (C) While all delegations agreed on the need for a strong reaction, China said it was not prepared to support a press statement today. Chinese PR Zhang repeated what he had told Ambassador Rice beforehand, namely that he was not authorized to negotiate language for a formal press statement, that he needed to seek concurrence from Beijing, and that he could not have an answer until tomorrow. He opposed using the word "condemn" in any initial statement by the Council. In order to gain Chinese concurrence on a condemnation of the detonation, Russian PR and Security Council President Churkin proposed that he make agreed remarks to the press (as opposed to issuing a paper statement). After considerable prodding around the table, Zhang finally agreed to that format. That text was then presented to the full Council in consultations. ¶5. (C) At the beginning of the Security Council meeting, Russian PR Churkin, in his capacity as Council President, indicated that interested parties had met prior to consultations and agreed to elements for press remarks, which he distributed to the Council (see para 8 for full press remarks). Ambassador Rice reiterated that the nuclear test constituted a clear violation of UNSCR 1718. She urged the Council to react strongly and swiftly in order to demonstrate that the DPRK cannot flout international law and its actions will have concrete consequences. Most delegations condemned North Korea's nuclear test and offered clear support for press remarks following the meeting and for immediate discussions on a Security Council resolution on the matter; including France, the UK, Austria, Mexico, Turkey, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Libya, Croatia and Costa Rica. ¶6. (C) Chinese PR Zhang expressed "firm opposition" to the incident (adhering to the Chinese MFA statement) and called on the DPRK to stop related actions and return to the Six-Party process. He cautioned the Council to "carefully consider" its approach to maintaining stability in the Korean peninsula. Vietnamese PR Le expressed "deep concern" and called on the regime to exercise maximum restraint, adding that any reaction by the Council should be unified. Russian PR Churkin "condemned" the incident and called it a "serious strike" against the strength of the NPT and the CTBT. He noted that Russia continued to believe that the broader situation of a nuclear-free peninsula could only be resolved in the Six-Party framework. ¶7. (C) Many delegations called on the DPRK to return to the Six-Party process and observe international law, including previous resolutions and statements by the Council. Some delegations also emphasized the importance of bringing the CTBT into force. All delegations supported the press remarks, which were delivered to the press after the meeting closed by Council President, Russian PR Churkin, and distributed on paper to the press thereafter by the Russian delegation. ¶8. (U) BEGIN PRESS REMARKS: "The members of the Security Council voiced their strong opposition to and condemnation of the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 25 May 2009, which constitutes a clear violation of resolution 1718 (2006). "The members of the Security Council demand that the DPRK comply fully with its obligations under resolutions 1695 (2006) and 1781 (2006) and other related Security Council resolutions and statements, and calls on all member states to uphold their obligations under these resolutions and statements. "The members of the Security Council have decided to start work immediately on a Security Council resolution on this matter in accordance with the Security Council's responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations." END PRESS REMARKS. RICE