VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #1473/01 1220748
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 020748Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7675
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0582
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0660
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0074
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J2 SEOUL KOR
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001473 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/FO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL ETRD ECON KS
SUBJECT: SOUTH KOREAN READOUT ON PRC-ROK-JAPAN TRILATERAL 
ON LATIN AMERICA 
 
REF: SEOUL 1298 
 
Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun.  Reasons 1.4 (b), (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) On May 2, Lim Ki-mo, Director of MOFAT's Latin 
American and Caribbean Regional Cooperation Division, briefed 
poloff on the April 26 Director General-level trilateral 
meeting in Beijing between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean 
officials to discuss Latin America.  The meeting's objective 
was to explore areas for greater understanding in cultural, 
economic, and military issues with the region.  Lim mentioned 
the Japanese suggestion that China should clarify whether it 
wanted to seek donor or recipient status before entering the 
Inter-American Development Bank.  On a possible visit by 
Venezuelan President Chavez to Asia, China would probably 
approve a state visit, Japan would lean toward a working 
visit, and Korea would have to decide based on a reading of 
USG sensitivities and regional considerations.  The next 
trilateral may be next year, perhaps in Korea.  END SUMMARY. 
. 
STARTING IS THE FIRST STEP 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Latin American and Caribbean Cooperation Division 
Director Lim Ki-mo met with poloff on May 2 to provide a 
readout of the April 26 trilateral on Latin America between 
ROKG, PRC, and Japanese officials, as promised during the 
visit of A/S Shannon to Seoul on April 12 (Ref A).  Lim began 
by expressing appreciation for Shannon's consultations in 
Korea, saying he welcomed the opportunity to follow-up by 
discussing the first ROK-PRC-Japan trilateral on Latin 
America. 
 
¶3.  (C) Lim explained that the objective of the 90-minute 
meeting between Han Byung-kil, Director-General at MOFAT's 
Latin America and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, his Japanese 
counterpart DG Sakaba, and his Chinese counterpart DG Zeng, 
was to explore areas for greater understanding in cultural, 
economic, and military issues with the region.  Talks were at 
the introductory level, with each side laying out some of its 
objectives in relatively broad terms.  They discussed the 
value of encouraging closer cultural and economic exchanges 
with Latin America, promoting joint trade fairs and forums, 
and, in vague terms, spoke of the opportunity to consider 
joint economic projects.  As a smaller country, Lim opined 
that Seoul saw its role in these consultations as helping to 
mediate between Beijing and Tokyo.  Seoul may offer to host 
the next trilateral perhaps next year. 
. 
JAPAN 
----- 
 
¶4.  (C) The Japanese side, Lim noted, proposed that the three 
capitals work to invigorate the Forum on East Asia, Latin 
America, and the Caribbean (FEALAC).  FEALAC reportedly has 
undertaken no serious efforts to improve cooperation among 
members, lacked sufficient financial funding, and lacked 
significant political support from member countries. 
Japanese officials also recommended that China decide whether 
it sought donor or recipient status to the Inter-American 
Development Bank and how much it would be willing to 
contribute before being allowed to enter. 
. 
CHINA 
----- 
 
¶5.  (C) Lim observed that the Chinese delegation sought to 
make the case that its efforts to increase economic ties to 
Latin America were a win-win situation for everyone.  Beijing 
was promoting diversification of its export and import 
markets and assured ROKG and Japanese officials that a "third 
country was not the target."  The PRC side stated that its 
domestic producers supplied around 90 percent of its energy 
needs, so this sector need not be an area for economic or 
political confrontation with Washington in Latin America. 
Responding to a Japanese suggestion for more transparency in 
the military field, specifically in military sales to Latin 
America, the Chinese side claimed that it only provided 
defensive weapons to countries in the region.  The PRC 
officials also pointed to their White Paper as evidence of 
 
Chinese military transparency. 
. 
POSSIBLE CHAVEZ VISIT TO ASIA 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Asked about a possible visit to Asia by the 
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Lim reported that Chinese 
officials during a bilateral with the ROKs had said China had 
no plans to invite President Chavez.  Should he ask to travel 
to China, however, Beijing would probably allow the trip at 
the state visit level.  Separately, Japanese officials 
responded that Tokyo probably would not oppose a Chavez trip 
but was likely only to allow a working visit.  Lim noted that 
Seoul had not yet made a decision.  South Korea was sensitive 
to USG concerns, but it would also look to see how its 
neighbors handled any possible visit. 
VERSHBOW