US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS4756

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 004756 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EAP/FO DETRANI, EAP/K FOSTER AND EUR/ERA BISHARAT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KNNP, KN, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT: EU/DPRK: PRE-BRIEF OF TROIKA VISIT TO PYONGYANG 
 
REF: A. USEU BRUSSELS 1119 
 
     B. USEU BRUSSELS 1081 
     C. 03 USEU BRUSSELS 5510 
 
Classified By: USEU Poloff Van Reidhead for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: A Directors-level Troika of EU officials will 
visit Pyongyang November 13-16 to press for North Korean 
cooperation in the Six Party Talks and to press for progress 
on human rights, economic reforms, ROK-DPRK relations and 
humanitarian assistance issues.  The Troika will begin the 
trip with meetings in Beijing to prepare for the December 8 
EU-China summit and finish up in Tokyo to brief the Japanese 
on the visit.  Special Envoy DeTrani's visit to Brussels 
November 9-10 offers a valuable opportunity to convey USG 
concerns on these issues in advance of the Troika visit.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------- 
EU to Raise Five Issues with DPRK 
--------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Council Secretariat Principal Administrator and visit 
participant Antonio Tanca briefed poloff about plans for a 
November 13-16 Directors-level Troika visit to North Korea. 
While the terms of reference for the Troika's official 
meetings in Pyongyang were still in draft at the time of 
poloff's briefing, Tanca said that the EU would press the 
North Koreans for progress on five issues  With the exception 
of humanitarian assistance, these issues are the same as 
those discussed during the EU's last Troika visit to North 
Korea, in 2003 (ref C). 
 
-- Six Party Process: The Troika will express EU support for 
the Six Party Process and press for DPRK cooperation in 
future talks.  The Troika hopes also to gauge Pyongyang's 
views on the process following the US elections, and "hopes 
to see a (post-election) softening," Tanca said. 
 
-- Human Rights: The Troika will "express concerns" and urge 
the DPRK to resume its human rights discussions with the EU. 
The EU wants to make it clear, however, that talking about 
human rights would not give the DPRK immunity from further EU 
criticism of its HR abuses, including in the UN. 
 
-- Economic Reforms: The Troika will encourage the DPRK to 
expand and deepen the small efforts it has taken so far on 
economic reform, while making it clear that increased 
economic cooperation with the EU would be contingent on 
resolving the nuclear issue. 
 
-- DPRK-ROK Relations: The Troika will continue encouraging 
Pyongyang to "engage openly" with South Korea on peninsular 
and inter-Korean issues. 
 
-- Humanitarian Assistance: The Troika will express concern 
about the DPRK's recent announcements that it no longer needs 
as much humanitarian assistance and will further restrict 
access for aid workers.  The Troika hopes to meet also with 
NGOs and international organization delegations in North 
Korea to discuss this issue. 
 
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Travel Itinerary 
---------------- 
 
3. (C) The Troika will travel first to Beijing, then to 
Pyongyang for a three-day visit, and wrap up in Tokyo: 
 
-- November 12: The Troika will meet with European Affairs 
personnel from the MFA to discuss plans for the December 8 
EU-China summit.  The delegation will also put on its COASI 
(Asia Working Group) hat and hold a COASI troika with the PRC. 
 
-- November 13-15: Meetings in Pyongyang and with NGOs and 
international organizations. 
 
-- November 16: Return to Beijing to debrief the Chinese on 
the DPRK visit. 
 
-- November 17: Fly to Tokyo to debrief the Japanese on the 
visit.  The Troika will also discuss implementation of 
agreements reached at the EU-Japan summit earlier this year. 
 
------------------- 
Troika Participants 
------------------- 
 
4. (U) For the Dutch EU Presidency: MFA Asia Director Robert 
Milders (Troika Chair); Asia Deputy Director Margarita Bot; 
Korea Director Robert Dresen; Dutch Ambassador in Seoul 
 
-- For Luxembourg (incoming EU Presidency): Ambassador 
Laurence 
 
-- For the Council Secretariat: Principal Administrator 
Antonio Tanca 
 
-- For the Commission: North America and East Asia Director 
Richard Wright; DPRK Desk Officer Maria Castilla-Fernandez 
 
----------------------------------- 
DeTrani Visit an Opportunity for US 
----------------------------------- 
5. (C) The November 9-10 visit to Brussels of DPRK Special 
Envoy DeTrani and EAP/K Foster provides the US an opportunity 
to convey our concerns about current DPRK issues just prior 
to the Troika's departure.  As with the 2003 Troika visit, 
the EU has been very forthcoming with their plans and the 
promise of a full readout upon their return.  Council DG 
Cooper and others (refs A, B) have repeatedly made clear the 
EU's desire to play a constructive role in resolving the 
nuclear standoff with North Korea, and to do so in a way that 
supports the Six Party Process and US leadership on the 
issue. 
 
Schnabel