Cablegate: Statement by the Asean Chairman On Nuclear Tests

VZCZCXRO8167
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #4344 2860836
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 130836Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3481
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 5888
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9441
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 0571
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 1141
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 2410
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 2907
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 3376
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS MANILA 004344

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN RP
SUBJECT: STATEMENT BY THE ASEAN CHAIRMAN ON NUCLEAR TESTS
BY THE DPRK

REF: MANILA 4312

1. (SBU) Ambassador on October 13 congratulated Foreign
Secretary Romulo for the strong statement he issued as ASEAN

SIPDIS
Chair on October 12 protesting the North Korean nuclear test
and urging North Korea to abide by UN Security Council
resolution 1695 (full text in para 3). Secretary Romulo
expressed regret that the statement had taken time, but noted
the ASEAN tradition of seeking full consensus and
coordination. Ambassador underscored the final product was
excellent and told him that he could feel proud about getting
such a strong joint statement on behalf of the ten ASEAN
members.

2. (SBU) Pol/C separately conveyed appreciation to the
Department of Foreign Affairs' Assistant Secretaries for
Asia-Pacific, for ASEAN, and for the Americas.

3. (U) Text of the statement by the ASEAN Chairman on
Nuclear Tests by the DPRK on October 12, 2006.
quote

At our meeting in Kuala Lumpur in July, the Foreign Ministers
of ASEAN emphasized that the denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula is essential in maintaining peace and stability in
the Asia Pacific region. We reaffirmed the importance of
dialogue among all parties for the peaceful resolution of the
nuclear issue.

We are therefore deeply concerned by North Korea's
announcement that they have conducted a nuclear test. Such a
test is inconsistent with the DPRK's commitments under the
Joint Statement of September 2005, and threaten the peace and
security of East Asia.

We therefore protest such testing, and strongly enjoin the
DPRK to desist from conducting further tests, and appeal to
all parties concerned to exercise restraint, and to refrain
from taking action that will aggravate the tension. We call
on the DPRK to abide by the provisions of UNSC Resolution
1695, particularly on its return to the Six-Party Talks, to
work towards the expeditious implementation of the 19
September 2005 Joint Statement, and to return at an early
date to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
end quote

Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm

KENNEY

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