Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10SEOUL187
2010-02-08 08:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
A/S CAMPBELL'S FEBRUARY 3 MEETING WITH ROK DEPUTY
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #0187/01 0390845 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 080845Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7001 INFO RUCNKOR/KOREA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUACAAA/COMUSKOREA INTEL SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSFK SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000187
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR AF JP CH KN KS
SUBJECT: A/S CAMPBELL'S FEBRUARY 3 MEETING WITH ROK DEPUTY
FOREIGN MINISTER LEE YONG-JOON
Classified By: EAP A/S Kurt Campbell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000187
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR AF JP CH KN KS
SUBJECT: A/S CAMPBELL'S FEBRUARY 3 MEETING WITH ROK DEPUTY
FOREIGN MINISTER LEE YONG-JOON
Classified By: EAP A/S Kurt Campbell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) During a February 3 meeting with EAP Assistant
Secretary Kurt Campbell, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee
Yong-joon dismissed ROK press speculation that a North-South
summit was imminent. Lee related that veteran DPRK Six-Party
Talks negotiator Kim Gye-gwan would visit China week of
February 8, and speculated Kim Jong-il would go to the PRC in
March. Lee, who had just returned from Beijing, said he and
his Japanese and Chinese counterparts agreed to establish a
trilateral secretariat in Seoul next year; Lee would consult
with his counterparts on U.S. participation as an observer.
The DFM reassured Campbell that the ROKG remained committed
to establishing a PRT in Afghanistan by July. Lee hoped the
USG would "take into consideration" the overall security
situation on the Korean peninsula as the date for OPCON
transfer to Korea drew nearer. According to Lee, the Joint
Environmental Assessment Procedure (JEAP) was instrumental in
the smooth implementation of the Camp Hialeah return; the
ROKG hoped to use it for future base returns. Lee claimed
that open-ended strategic flexibility "jeopardized" an
important aspect of ROK security: a strong U.S. military
presence on the peninsula. The ROKG's preference is that
this year's "2 plus 2" meeting (between Secretaries Clinton
and Gates and their ROK counterparts) be held in Seoul during
the first half of the year. End Summary.
DFM Lee: On Prospects for North-South Summit
--------------
2. (C) During a February 3 meeting with EAP Assistant
Secretary Kurt Campbell, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee
Yong-joon dismissed press speculation that a North-South
summit is imminent. Lee stressed that if a summit happened,
the North Korean nuclear issue would be a key element.
Kim Gye-gwan's visit to China
--------------
3. (C) Lee, who had just returned from Beijing, related that
veteran DPRK Six-Party Talks negotiator Kim Gye-gwan would
visit China the week of February 8. Lee said that, according
to his PRC interlocutors, Kim accepted the invitation only
after intense Chinese lobbying. Lee speculated that a trip
by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to the PRC would occur in
March.
China-Japan-ROK Trilateral
--------------
4. (C) Commenting about his visit to Beijing, Lee said he and
his Japanese and Chinese counterparts agreed to establish a
trilateral secretariat in Seoul next year. The deputy
foreign ministers would meet again in April to "tee up"
deliverables for a May 2010 summit on Cheju island.
According to Lee, the institutionalized Japan-ROK-PRC summit
integrated more than fifty on-going meetings with China and
Japan and created positive momentum for the East Asian
Community. He asserted the establishment of the secretariat
in 2011 will prompt Seoul to play a more active role in
regional architecture. Responding to a question from A/S
Campbell, Lee said he would consult with his counterparts on
participation of the United States as an observer once the
secretariat is established.
5. (C) DFM Lee observed that the Chinese way of conducting
business had changed greatly. In the past, he noted, Chinese
foreign ministry officials never diverted from reading
talking points and "playing it safe"; now, Lee said, Chinese
diplQats were "eager participants" in free flowing
discussions.
Afghanistan PRT
--------------
6. (C) Lee noted that the Afghanistan PRT bill would go
forward to the National Assembly this month, and assured
Campbell that the ROKG was committed to establishing a PRT
"under any circumstances" by July. Even if the construction
of the PRT base could not be completed, the troops would
nonetheless deploy and stay temporarily at Bagram airbase.
OPCON Transfer
--------------
7. (C) While noting that he respected the decision to
transfer wartime operational control (OPCON) to Korea in
April 2012 and that the process was on track, Lee said he
nonetheless hoped the USG would "take into consideration" the
overall security situation on the Korean peninsula as the
handover date drew nearer. A/S Campbell praised the ROK
military's capability, and assured Lee that OPCON transfer
would be well coordinated between the ROK and United States.
Base Returns
--------------
8. (C) Lee affirmed that base returns were on the "right
track," noting the "extremely sensitive" but successful
transfer of Busan's Camp Hialeah in January. According to
Lee, the Joint Environmental Assessment Procedure (JEAP) was
instrumental in the smooth implementation of the Hialeah
return; the ROKG hoped to use it for future returns.
Director General for North American Affairs Chang Ho-jin
seconded Lee's comments about the positive role of the JEAP.
Chang called for the ROK and the United States to use similar
scientific criteria and an agreed "scenario" (i.e. an
agreement on what condition property should be in as it is
returned) to "narrow the gap" between the two sides during
future environmental risk assessments at former U.S. bases.
and Strategic Flexibility/ "2 plus 2"
--------------
9. (C) When the ROK agreed to the principles of strategic
flexibility in 2006, it had not agreed to "open-ended"
strategic flexibility, Lee said. The open-ended arrangement,
which allowed U.S. troops based in Korea to be deployed
elsewhere, "jeopardized" an important aspect of ROK security:
a strong U.S. military presence on the peninsula. Lee
suggested that bilateral consultations should be held to
determine a guaranteed minimum level of U.S. military
presence in South Korea, in the context of strategic
flexibility.
10. (C) The deputy foreign minister said it was the ROKG's
preference that this year's 2 plus 2 meeting (between
Secretaries Clinton and Gates and their ROK counterparts) be
held in Seoul during the first half of 2010. Lee added that
it would be useful to hold annual or biennial "2 plus 2"
meetings at the Assistant Secretary level. Such
consultations could cover issues like strategic flexibility,
OPCON transfer, instability planning, and other Alliance
issues.
STEPHENS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR AF JP CH KN KS
SUBJECT: A/S CAMPBELL'S FEBRUARY 3 MEETING WITH ROK DEPUTY
FOREIGN MINISTER LEE YONG-JOON
Classified By: EAP A/S Kurt Campbell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) During a February 3 meeting with EAP Assistant
Secretary Kurt Campbell, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee
Yong-joon dismissed ROK press speculation that a North-South
summit was imminent. Lee related that veteran DPRK Six-Party
Talks negotiator Kim Gye-gwan would visit China week of
February 8, and speculated Kim Jong-il would go to the PRC in
March. Lee, who had just returned from Beijing, said he and
his Japanese and Chinese counterparts agreed to establish a
trilateral secretariat in Seoul next year; Lee would consult
with his counterparts on U.S. participation as an observer.
The DFM reassured Campbell that the ROKG remained committed
to establishing a PRT in Afghanistan by July. Lee hoped the
USG would "take into consideration" the overall security
situation on the Korean peninsula as the date for OPCON
transfer to Korea drew nearer. According to Lee, the Joint
Environmental Assessment Procedure (JEAP) was instrumental in
the smooth implementation of the Camp Hialeah return; the
ROKG hoped to use it for future base returns. Lee claimed
that open-ended strategic flexibility "jeopardized" an
important aspect of ROK security: a strong U.S. military
presence on the peninsula. The ROKG's preference is that
this year's "2 plus 2" meeting (between Secretaries Clinton
and Gates and their ROK counterparts) be held in Seoul during
the first half of the year. End Summary.
DFM Lee: On Prospects for North-South Summit
--------------
2. (C) During a February 3 meeting with EAP Assistant
Secretary Kurt Campbell, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee
Yong-joon dismissed press speculation that a North-South
summit is imminent. Lee stressed that if a summit happened,
the North Korean nuclear issue would be a key element.
Kim Gye-gwan's visit to China
--------------
3. (C) Lee, who had just returned from Beijing, related that
veteran DPRK Six-Party Talks negotiator Kim Gye-gwan would
visit China the week of February 8. Lee said that, according
to his PRC interlocutors, Kim accepted the invitation only
after intense Chinese lobbying. Lee speculated that a trip
by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to the PRC would occur in
March.
China-Japan-ROK Trilateral
--------------
4. (C) Commenting about his visit to Beijing, Lee said he and
his Japanese and Chinese counterparts agreed to establish a
trilateral secretariat in Seoul next year. The deputy
foreign ministers would meet again in April to "tee up"
deliverables for a May 2010 summit on Cheju island.
According to Lee, the institutionalized Japan-ROK-PRC summit
integrated more than fifty on-going meetings with China and
Japan and created positive momentum for the East Asian
Community. He asserted the establishment of the secretariat
in 2011 will prompt Seoul to play a more active role in
regional architecture. Responding to a question from A/S
Campbell, Lee said he would consult with his counterparts on
participation of the United States as an observer once the
secretariat is established.
5. (C) DFM Lee observed that the Chinese way of conducting
business had changed greatly. In the past, he noted, Chinese
foreign ministry officials never diverted from reading
talking points and "playing it safe"; now, Lee said, Chinese
diplQats were "eager participants" in free flowing
discussions.
Afghanistan PRT
--------------
6. (C) Lee noted that the Afghanistan PRT bill would go
forward to the National Assembly this month, and assured
Campbell that the ROKG was committed to establishing a PRT
"under any circumstances" by July. Even if the construction
of the PRT base could not be completed, the troops would
nonetheless deploy and stay temporarily at Bagram airbase.
OPCON Transfer
--------------
7. (C) While noting that he respected the decision to
transfer wartime operational control (OPCON) to Korea in
April 2012 and that the process was on track, Lee said he
nonetheless hoped the USG would "take into consideration" the
overall security situation on the Korean peninsula as the
handover date drew nearer. A/S Campbell praised the ROK
military's capability, and assured Lee that OPCON transfer
would be well coordinated between the ROK and United States.
Base Returns
--------------
8. (C) Lee affirmed that base returns were on the "right
track," noting the "extremely sensitive" but successful
transfer of Busan's Camp Hialeah in January. According to
Lee, the Joint Environmental Assessment Procedure (JEAP) was
instrumental in the smooth implementation of the Hialeah
return; the ROKG hoped to use it for future returns.
Director General for North American Affairs Chang Ho-jin
seconded Lee's comments about the positive role of the JEAP.
Chang called for the ROK and the United States to use similar
scientific criteria and an agreed "scenario" (i.e. an
agreement on what condition property should be in as it is
returned) to "narrow the gap" between the two sides during
future environmental risk assessments at former U.S. bases.
and Strategic Flexibility/ "2 plus 2"
--------------
9. (C) When the ROK agreed to the principles of strategic
flexibility in 2006, it had not agreed to "open-ended"
strategic flexibility, Lee said. The open-ended arrangement,
which allowed U.S. troops based in Korea to be deployed
elsewhere, "jeopardized" an important aspect of ROK security:
a strong U.S. military presence on the peninsula. Lee
suggested that bilateral consultations should be held to
determine a guaranteed minimum level of U.S. military
presence in South Korea, in the context of strategic
flexibility.
10. (C) The deputy foreign minister said it was the ROKG's
preference that this year's 2 plus 2 meeting (between
Secretaries Clinton and Gates and their ROK counterparts) be
held in Seoul during the first half of 2010. Lee added that
it would be useful to hold annual or biennial "2 plus 2"
meetings at the Assistant Secretary level. Such
consultations could cover issues like strategic flexibility,
OPCON transfer, instability planning, and other Alliance
issues.
STEPHENS