DPRK: EXPERT PANEL DELAYED BY SQUABBLE OVER

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000718 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC MCAP KN UNSC SUBJECT: DPRK: EXPERT PANEL DELAYED BY SQUABBLE OVER REPRESENTATION REF: SECSTATE 70777 Classified By: Amb. Alejandro Wolff for Reasons 1.4 (B),(D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: A squabble over geographical representation has delayed the establishment of a seven-member UN Panel of Experts (POE) to help monitor and improve the implementation of sanctions imposed on the DPRK. Costa Rica and Mexico appear likely to block the POE's approval in the DPRK Sanctions Committee if the POE contains only representatives from the P-5, Japan and South Korea. All seven of these countries, however, insist they must have a slot. South Korea, the only non-Security Council member among the seven, demarched USUN on July 23 to reaffirm Seoul's significant interest in having a South Korean on the team. Ambassador Wolff said that the United States supports South Korean participation, but also noted the apparent impasse. USUN will continue exploring compromise options for moving forward. The POE's first report to the Security Council is due September 12. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The establishment of a UN Panel of Experts (POE) for the DPRK has been delayed as a result of a disagreement in the DPRK Sanctions Committee ("1718 Committee") over which countries should be represented on the POE. Resolution 1874 requested the UN Secretary-General create, in consultation with the DPRK Sanctions Committee ("1718 Committee"),a seven-member POE to assist the Committee in monitoring and improving sanctions implementation. Per standard practice, the Secretariat will assemble -- and the Committee will then approve -- a final slate of candidates. The selection of candidates for UN sanctions expert panels is usually not politicized. The Secretariat normally identifies technical experts from its pre-existing roster, while giving due regard to geographic and gender diversity. ¶3. (C) During the negotiation of resolution 1874, there was an informal understanding among the principal countries involved in the negotiation (P-5, Japan and South Korea) that these seven countries would take the seven slots on the POE. All seven have since shared with the Secretariat resumes for their respective candidates. (NOTE: The Secretariat has agreed to put forth the top U.S. candidate, Vic Comras, who would be the finance expert on the team. END NOTE.) ¶4. (C) Beginning in early July, however, Mexican and Costa Rican representatives made clear -- both in private and in 1718 Committee meetings -- that the POE must include representatives from other regions of the world and not just from "the most interested states." In subsequent conversations with Ambassador Wolff, Mexican Perm Rep Heller and Costa Rican Perm Rep Urbina signaled that the presence of at least one Latin American expert on the POE would be sufficient to meet their concerns. Because of the requirement that the Committee approve the slate by consensus, these countries have an effective veto on its composition. ¶5. (C) The United States, Russia and China remain firm on their insistence that they each have an expert on the POE. The UK and France -- citing their equities as P-5 members -- have also dug in. Japan has pointed to its unique domestic pressures as justification for demanding a slot. ¶6. (C) South Korea, the only non-Security Council member among the seven, demarched USUN on July 23 to reaffirm its strong interest in participating in the POE. South Korea Deputy Perm Rep Kim explained to Amb. Wolff that this is a "very important issue" for Seoul and that he has been instructed to press vigorously for a slot. In response, Wolff said that the United States agrees that South Korea should be on the POE, particularly since a South Korean representative would bring valuable regional and linguistic skills to the team. He explained, however, the problem with Mexico and Costa Rica, as well as the entrenched positions of the P-5 and Japan. ¶7. (C) The Secretariat does not intend to submit the slate of candidates to the Committee until this impasse is resolved. USUN will continue exploring compromise options that will allow for the POE's timely establishment. Although there is not a fixed deadline for the establishment of this group, the POE's first report to the Security Council is due on September 12. RICE