US embassy cable - 04THEHAGUE2677

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR AND EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, NL, KS, KN, EUN 
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS/EU/KOREA: DUTCH ON EU SUMMIT WITH 
SOUTH KOREA 
 
 
Classified By: POL Counselor Andrew Schofer 1.4 (b/d) 
 
1. (SBU) Both MFA Korea Desk officer and South Korea Embassy 
officer told poloffs that the EU-South Korea Summit held in 
Hanoi on October 9 was so brief -- lasting only two hours 
including interpretation -- that participants did not have 
enough time to cover all of the issues included in the 
lengthy Joint Press Statement, which was negotiated before 
the Summit.  The Joint Press Statement, which is available at 
www.eu2004.nl/20041012-104311-M, includes the following 
topics: (a) deepening relations between EU and Republic of 
Korea, (b) Recent developments in the Republic of Korea and 
Recent developments in the EU, (c) North Korean nuclear 
issues and ROK- and EU-North Korea relationships, (d) EU-ROK 
discussion on global issues including counterterrorism 
cooperation, Iraq, Afghanistan, development goals, climate 
change, science and technology cooperation, business and 
investment, and trade. 
 
2. (C) MFA Korea Desk officer Robert Dresen noted October 14 
that the Asians had cautioned the Europeans not to press 
North Korea for dramatic changes or reforms, preferring 
slower but surer reforms.  Both Dresen and South Korea 
Embassy official Yoon Lee told poloffs that very little else 
was actually discussed at the meeting due to time 
constraints.  Lee was uncertain as to whether the next Summit 
(in two years' time) would be held over a longer period of 
time in order to ensure more time for discussion.  At a 
reception on the evening of October 14, Robert Milders, 
Director of the MFA's Department of Asian affairs, similarly 
described the summit as non-controversial but not 
particularly useful or interesting from the perspective of 
the Dutch EU Presidency. 
SOBEL