This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000899 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR XE EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU PUSHING FOR MORE DIALOGUE ON ASIA 
 
Classified By: USEU POLMINCOUNS EARLE D. LITZENBERGER 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia 
and Pacific Affairs Chris Hill met with EU Foreign Policy 
Advisor Robert Cooper during a brief stop-over in Brussels 
February 17.  Hill's perspective on key developments in DPRK, 
China, Burma and Indonesia were well-received by a 
fully-engaged Cooper.  EU is now pushing to confirm dates for 
the next Asia (COASI) Troika and East Asia Strategic Dialogue 
to be held in Brussels.  Participants listed paragraph 17. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
DPRK and the Six-Party Talks:  What,s Next? 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Cooper noted EU interest in current Six-Party Talk 
developments. Cooper expressed strong EU support for Hill,s 
efforts to resolve the problem of DPRK,s nuclear program and 
added the efforts are especially welcome because &no one 
else has a strategy.8 Hill pointed out the necessity for 
collaboration amongst parties to the Talks and emphasized 
that it was up to the DPRK to genuinely demonstrate its 
accord with the negotiated deal offered in September 2005. 
 
¶3. (C) Cooper wondered whether DPRK counterfeiting was 
"really a big deal8 and questioned its impact on Six-Party 
negotiations.  Hill responded that nuclear proliferation in 
general was a great concern and potential DPRK proliferation 
was particularly problematic.  Even given  delicate DPRK 
negotiations, Hill said the U.S. could not &look the other 
way8 on counterfeiting.  Hill pointed out that one positive 
development on the North Korean counterfeiting issue was 
China,s action to freeze certain assets of the Macau bank 
accused of acting as an intermediary.  Hill added the issue 
highlighted the importance of regular China-U.S. engagement, 
which was complemented by Deputy Secretary Zoellick,s 
initiative on a U.S.-China Senior Dialogue. 
 
¶4. (C) The North Korea - South Korea dynamic was of interest 
to Cooper who assessed that the ROK feels it must make a 
long-term effort to assist the DPRK.  He maintained the ROK 
believed it would eventually inherit the DPRK -- a country 
with "malnourished, non-competitive citizens."  Cooper added 
that China,s acquisition of raw materials in the DPRK 
concerned the ROK as the latter believed the DPRK would 
&sell all8 to China -- this actuality was an incentive for 
ROK support to DPRK, he surmised. 
 
China:  A Responsible Stakeholder, or Not? 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Cooper asked for Hill's assessment of developments in 
China in the areas of raw materials acquisition (including 
oil) and rural stability and questioned whether China is 
acting in a manner consistent with that of a responsible 
global stakeholder. Cooper wondered whether the U.S. was 
expressly concerned about China's dearth of natural resources 
and if the U.S. worried that Chinese behavior would distort 
international markets. 
 
¶6. (C) Hill assessed that China was quite nervous about slow 
growth, hence its aggression in securing economic deals.  He 
noted that Chinese foreign policy appeared driven by domestic 
weaknesses and added that there exist concerns about China's 
economic behavior by various publics in the U.S., including 
the small business, human rights and light industrial 
sectors.  Hill assessed that China was a "symbol of 
structural transformation," and noted the manner in which 
China had exploited the U.S. market -- including the loss of 
jobs in certain sectors -- contributed to negative U.S. 
perceptions. 
 
Burma:  Getting Worse 
--------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Hill noted China had not been helpful on Burma and 
believed the situation in that country was deteriorating. 
Cooper agreed and said the EU was very concerned about Suu 
Kyi's incarceration.  He mentioned the EU would allow Burmese 
to come to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
(ASEAN)- EU meetings because ASEAN members indicated they 
would not appear unless the Burmese were represented.  Cooper 
added the EU was "not very good at relating to Asia right 
now," and suggested that the visa ban had not helped the EU 
position with ASEAN countries. 
 
Indonesia:  Positive Movement 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Both Hill and Cooper agreed Indonesia had made 
progress.  Cooper indicated he recently traveled to Indonesia 
and received an impressive level of cooperation.  He added 
that Indonesia's abstention at the recent IAEA Board meeting 
on Iran's nuclear program was an indication that Indonesia 
saw itself as a "mediator," a welcome sign.  Cooper indicated 
EU HiRep Solana plans to visit Indonesia in April. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
Dialogue Dates: 
 
¶9. (C) EU representatives are anxious to confirm dates for 
the next COASI and East Asia Strategic Dialogue -- currently 
proposed by the EU for June 8 and June 9 in Brussels. 
Cooper's staff contacted USEU subsequent to the Hill/Cooper 
meeting to request assistance in setting firm dates.  We 
should expect EU Asia representatives to continue pressing 
for confirmation as Austria is looking to host the meetings 
before the end of its presidency on June 30. 
 
Expert-level Working Groups on DPRK: 
 
¶10. (C) In the meeting with Hill, Cooper noted the Austrian 
Presidency had expressed an interest in developing 
expert-level working groups, including on North Korea.  EU 
representatives have expressed interest in lending more 
concrete support to the Six-Party Talks.  European Council 
and European Commission Asia staff have asked how the EU can 
"do more to help."  Specific interest in a future long-term 
development assistance role at the conclusion of Six-Party 
negotiations has been informally advocated as an option. 
 
Participants 
------------ 
 
¶11. (U) Participants 
 
United States 
------------- 
Christopher Hill, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia 
and Pacific Affairs 
Kamala Lakhdhir, EAP Special Assistant 
Michael McKinley, USEU Deputy Chief of Mission 
Margaret B. Diop, USEU Poloff 
 
European Union 
-------------- 
Robert Cooper, Director General for External Economic 
Relations and Common Foreign and Security Policy 
Tomasz Kozlowski, Council Secretariat Head of Task Force Asia 
Chris Holtby, Asia and Pacific Policy Unit 
 
 
¶13. (U) Assistant Secretary Hill has cleared on this cable. 
 
GRAY 
.