DPRK: COUNCIL REFERS LETTER TO 1718 COMMITTEEE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000833 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC MCAP KN UNSC SUBJECT: DPRK: COUNCIL REFERS LETTER TO 1718 COMMITTEEE ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On September 9, the Security Council agreed to refer a letter recently received from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the Council's DPRK Sanctions Committee ("1718 Committee"). Ambassador Rice pointed to the letter's contents -- including its rejection of resolution 1874 and claims about its nuclear program -- and observed that a formal Council response would probably be counterproductive. Noting that the letter was triggered by a 1718 Committee request for information from the DPRK about a reported sanctions violation, she proposed the Council refer the letter to the Committee for its review and possible appropriate action. Japan supported the proposal; no delegations objected. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On September 9, the Security Council agreed to refer a letter received from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the Council's DPRK Sanctions Committee ("1718 Committee"). Raising the issue under "Any Other Business" on the Council's agenda, Ambassador Rice noted she had received it on September 3 in her capacity as Council President. In the letter, Rice explained, the DPRK had rejected resolution 1874 and made certain claims about the status of its nuclear program. A formal Council response was not necessary, she asserted, and probably would be counterproductive. ¶3. (SBU) Rice observed that the letter was apparently triggered by a request from the 1718 Committee for more information from the DPRK about a reported sanctions violation. (NOTE: The 1718 Committee wrote to the DPRK on August 25 requesting additional information about an intercepted shipment of arms being shipped from the DPRK to Iran in violation of resolution 1874. The Committee requested a response within ten days, i.e., by September 9. END NOTE). She proposed that the Council refer the letter to the 1718 Committee for its review as part of the investigation into this reported sanctions violation. She added that if asked by the press about this matter, she would explain factually that the Council had referred the letter to the 1718 Committee for its review and possible appropriate action. ¶4. (SBU) Japanese Perm Rep Takasu said he supported Rice's proposal, adding that Japan believed the 1718 Committee was doing good work. No delegation opposed the suggestion. The Council President (the United States) will therefore send a letter to the 1718 Committee chair (Turkish Perm Rep Apakan), formally referring the letter to the Committee and allowing it to become part of the Committee's investigation. RICE