Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 Message Text SECRET PAGE 01 STATE 299089 42 ORIGIN SS-25 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SSO-00 NSCE-00 026 R DRAFTED BY PM NPO GOPLINGER EA K JFORBES S P JKALICKI JMM APPROVED BY D - THE DEPUTY SECRETARY EA - PCHABIB PM - GVEST S P - RBARTHOLOMEW OES - MKRATZER EUR - JLOWENSTEIN C - JKELLY S S- MR BORG --------------------- 101934 O P 191738Z DEC 75 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE INFO AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY USMISSION IAEA VIENNA PRIORITY S E C R E T STATE 299089 EXDIS E O 11652 XGDS-1 TAGS MNUC PARM KS FR CA SUBJECT ROK NUCLEAR REPROCESSING REFS A SEOUL 9662 B SEOUL 9663 C PARIS 32534 D SEOUL 9786 1 DEPARTMENT AGREES THAT REQUEST OF MOST VICE MINISTER YI FOR DETAILED ANSWERS ON EXTENT OF US WILLINGNESS TO EXPAND PEACEFUL NUCLEAR COOPERATION COULD BE INITIAL INDICATION THAT ROKG SERIOUSLY RECONSIDERING ITS POSITION ON PILOT REPROCESSING PLANT IT ALSO POSES RISK THAT ROKG MAY BE ATTEMPTING TO DIVERT US INTO EXTENDED DISCUSSION OF DIMENSIONS OF US ASSISTANCE WHILE PILOT PLANT IS MERELY SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 STATE 299089 QUOTE DEFERRED UNQUOTE WE THINK IT ESSENTIAL TO FORESTALL Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 ROKG ATTEMPTS EITHER TO EXTRACT INCREASING US COMMITMENTS OR TO ALLEGE INADEQUACIES IN US PROPOSAL PRIOR TO KEY DECISION WHETHER TO CANCEL AND TO ENSURE THAT HIGHEST LEVELS OF ROKG UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THAT THEY MUST NOW ADDRESS FUNDAMENTAL POLITICAL ISSUE I E WHETHER THEY ARE PREPARED TO PROCEED WITH A REPROCESSING FACILITY OVER THE PROFOUND OBJECTIONS OF THE US AS YOU NOTED PARA 3 REF A 2 CONSEQUENTLY IN THE ABSENCE OF A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST TO CANCEL THE REPROCESSING CONTRACT YOU SHOULD PROCEED TO CALL ON PRESIDENT PARK AT EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME AND MAKE PRESENTATION ON BASIS OF PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS WE LEAVE TO YOUR JUDGMENT WHETHER YOU FIRST WISH TO APPROACH NEW PRIME MINISTER CHOE HOWEVER YOU SHOULD NOT DELAY THESE APPROACHES FOR PURPOSE OF RESPONDING TO YI AND SHOULD AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS ON ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AT LOWER LEVELS OF ROKG 3 IF YOU THINK IT NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH YI'S QUESTIONS YOU MAY SAY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO WASHINGTON AND ARE BEING STUDIED HOWEVER IT IS CLEAR THAT THEY INVOLVE MANY COMPLEX CONSIDERATIONS WHICH CAN ONLY BE MEANINGFULLY EXPLORED OVER TIME AND THROUGH EXTENSIVE BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS IF PRESIDENT SHOULD DECIDE TO CANCEL REPROCESSING FACILITY WE ARE PREPARED TO ENTER EXPEDITIOUSLY INTO SUCH CONSULTATIONS TO ADDRESS CONCRETELY THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THE ROK HAS POSED THE US HAS RECOGNIZED THE LEGITIMATE KOREAN INTEREST IN DEVELOPING ITS PEACEFUL NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND HAS MADE A SERIOUS OFFER TO DISCUSS EXPANSION OF OUR ASSISTANCE IN NON-SENSITIVE AREAS FOR EXAMPLE IN EVENT OF CANCELLATION WE WOULD BE WILLING TO ACTIVELY EXPLORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL FUEL FABRICATION FACILITIES IN KOREA IN SO DOING HOWEVER WE WOULD NOT WISH TO PREJUDICE FRENCH COOPERATION WITH ROK IN NON-SENSITIVE NUCLEAR AREAS HOWEVER THE BASIC QUESTION NOW IS WHETHER KOREA IS PREPARED TO PUT AT RISK NOT ONLY THIS OFFER BUT MUTUALITY OF INTEREST BY PROCEEDING WITH A REPROCESSING FACILITY OVER WHICH THE US HAS PROFOUND MISGIVINGS SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 STATE 299089 4 FYI WE DO NOT WISH TO PRECLUDE FACE-SAVING QUID IF HIGHER LEVEL OF ROKG FEELS THIS IS NECESSARY BUT WE PREFER TO RECEIVE PRIOR ROK ASSURANCES OF ITS INTENTION TO ABANDON THIS FACILITY BEFORE ELABORATING ON FUTURE US NUCLEAR ASSISTANCE IN NON-SENSITIVE AREAS WE ACCORDINGLY DO NOT WISH TO BECOME BOGGED-DOWN IN TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS WITH ROK IN ABSENCE OF ROK ASSURANCES OF THEIR INTENTION Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006 TO ABANDON THIS FACILITY 5 RE PARA 9 REF A WE ARE NOT REPEAT NOT SEEKING TO EXCLUDE FRENCH OR OTHER SUPPLIERS FROM SHARING IN ROK NUCLEAR MARKET IN NON-SENSITIVE AREAS SUCH AS FUEL FABRICATION AND NUCLEAR REACTORS FRENCH ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING OUR APPROACHES REC C AND WE DO NOT WISH TO GIVE IMPRESSION THAT WE ARE IN ANY WAY MOTIVATED BY DESIRE TO SEEK COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGE OVER FRENCH WHEN THEY ARE COOPERATING WITH US ON AN ISSUE OF MAJOR POLITICAL SENSITIVITY END FYI KISSINGER SECRET NNN Margaret P Grafeld Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 06 JUL 2006                     National Security Archive    Suite 701  Gelman Library  The George Washington University    2130 H Street  NW  Washington  D C  20037    Phone  202 994‐7000  Fax  202 994‐7005  nsarchiv@gwu edu