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C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 001009 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2021 
 
TAGS: PARM MNUC MOPS KNNP MARR AS KN
 
SUBJECT: DPRK: AUSTRALIAN REACTION TO JULY 5 NORTH KOREAN 
MISSILE LAUNCH 
 
REF: A. LAKDHIR-MATTHEWS E-MAIL OF 5 JULY 2006 
 
¶B. CANBERRA 929 
 
¶C. STATE 98659 
 
Classified By: CDA Michael P. Owens, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
SUMMARY 
------- 
CONFIDENTIAL 2 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 2 of 8 
¶1. (C/NF) Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign 
Minister Alexander Downer issued separate statements to local 
media on July 5 publicly condemning the North Korean Taepo 
Dong-2 missile launch and calling on the DPRK to return to 
the Six-Party Talks. The Foreign Minister's media statement 
also pledged Australia's full support for "robust 
international action" in response to the DPRK's "provocative 
act," including at the United Nations, and announced 
Australia would further restrict travel to Australia by DPRK 
officials, cancel a planned visit to North Korea by a senior 
GOA official, and send GOA delegations to Washington and 
other capitals to coordinate an international response. In a 
further reaction to the missile launch, Foreign Minister 
Downer telephoned the DPRK Ambassador on July 5 with a 
strongly-worded protest. The DPRK Ambassador responded along 
familiar lines, accusing the United States of "insincerity" 
and asserting North Korea's sovereign right to protect 
itself, including the right to launch missiles. End Summary. 
¶2. (U) Australia acted quickly to condemn North Korea's July 
5 launch of a Taepo Dong-2 long-range intercontinental 
ballistic missile (ICBM) and other short-range missiles. In 
two separate radio interviews on July 5, Prime Minister 
Howard said Australia was "very concerned" about North 
Korea's "extremely provocative act", and called on North 
Korea to return immediately to the Six-Party Talks. He 
invited condemnation of the DPRK's missile launch by other 
six-party members. Prime Minister Howard, who had raised 
Australian concerns about DPRK launch preparations with 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on June 28 in Beijing, said North 
Korean actions were in "total breach of international 
obligations" and that they ran counter to North Korea's 
interests as well as regional interests. Howard said 
Australia wanted the issue to be settled diplomatically and 
urged all parties, particularly Japan and China, to pressure 
North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions. 
¶3. (C/NF) Foreign Minister Downer, who was visiting Adelaide 
when news of the North Korean missile launch broke, 
telephoned DPRK Ambassador to Australia Jae Hong Chon to 
protest the launch and to register Australia's "grave 
concerns at North Korea's provocative action," according to 
Alice Cawte, Acting First Assistant Secretary of the North 
Asia Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
(DFAT). Cawte, who was joined by Northeast Asia Branch 
Assistant Secretary Thomas Connor, said FM Downer told 
Ambassador Chon that DPRK's actions would further isolate 
North Korea and called for North Korea to return to the 
Six-Party Talks without delay. FM Downer used most of the 
points DFAT prepared for him in his telephone conversation 
CONFIDENTIAL 3 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 3 of 8 
with Ambassador Chon, which he also used in his media release 
(para 6) and with the press (see para 7 below), although he 
omitted a final point stating Australia's intention to 
continue humanitarian aid despite the missile launch. 
¶4. (C/NF) Cawte and Connor said that Ambassador Chon 
responded that the launch was a military matter that had not 
been briefed to him in advance. He went on, however, to 
press familiar complaints, accusing the United States of 
"insincerity" and reiterating North Korea's sovereign right 
to launch missiles and to do what was needed to protect 
itself. Cawte said FM Downer replied that the DPRK's action 
were not so much a matter of legal obligations but rather of 
the DPRK living up to its commitments, as expressed in its 
self-imposed 1999 moratorium on missile testing and the 
September 19, 2005 Statement of Principles. 
¶5. (U) Foreign Minister Downer later issued a media 
statement (see full text in para 6 below) strongly condemning 
the Taepo Dong-2 ICBM launch and calling on the DPRK to 
return to the Six-Party Talks. In it, FM Downer pledged 
Australia would give its full support to "robust 
international action" in response to the DPRK's "provocative 
act" and announced Australia would further restrict travel to 
Australia by DPRK officials, cancel a planned visit to North 
Korea by a senior official, and send GOA delegations to 
Washington and other capitals to coordinate an international 
response. (Note: DFAT officials explained that North Asia 
Division First Assistant Secretary Peter Baxter, en route to 
the United States for previously scheduled consultations 
constituted the Australian "delegation" to the United States. 
End note.) FM Downer added in two subsequent interviews 
that Australia was "very angry" North Korea had launched a 
Taepo Dong-2 ICBM and other missiles, which had breached the 
1999 moratorium on ballistic missile testing and reneged on 
the September 19, 2005 Statement of Principles. Downer told 
the press that he had earlier urged the United States to take 
the issue of the DPRK's missile launch preparations to the UN 
Security Council. In response to a press question, Downer 
dismissed the likelihood that the United States would 
consider a pre-emptive strive on nuclear facilities within 
North Korea. 
¶6. (U) Below is the text of the July 5, 2006 media release 
from Foreign Minister Downer. 
Begin text: 
5 July 2006 
MEDIA RELEASE: DPRK LONG RANGE MISSILE TEST 
CONFIDENTIAL 4 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 4 of 8 
Australia strongly condemns the test launch of a Taepo Dong-2 
long range intercontinental ballistic missile by the 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 5 July. The 
DPRK also test-fired four short-range missiles. I have 
expressed deep disappointment to the DPRK Ambassador today 
about these developments, which cast serious doubt over the 
DPRK's genuine willingness to engage the international 
community and to resolve the nuclear issue. The missile test 
has placed additional strain on an already deadlocked 
six-party process, and undermined rather than enhanced the 
DPRK's security. 
The Taepo Dong-2 test runs counter to the DPRK's 1999 
self-imposed moratorium on ballistic missile testing and to 
the Statement of Principles, signed by the DPRK on 19 
September 2005. It shows North Korea does not honour its 
commitments. A DPRK ICBM capability poses a serious threat to 
the security situation in Northeast Asia and more broadly. 
In addition, we are deeply concerned that the DPRK conducted 
its missile tests in an atmosphere of secrecy without the 
notification that other countries routinely provide. 
I call on the DPRK to refrain from any further provocations 
and return to the six-party talks immediately and 
unconditionally. 
I am deeply troubled that the DPRK is devoting its national 
resources to developing long-range ballistic missiles at a 
time when its humanitarian situation is dire. 
In response to the DPRK's provocative act Australia will give 
full support to robust international action, including at the 
United Nations. We will also further restrict travel to 
Australia by DPRK officials and cancel a planned visit to 
North Korea by a senior Department of Foreign Affairs and 
Trade officer. 
We will also send a delegation to Washington and regional 
capitals to discuss appropriate mechanisms through which to 
coordinate an international response. 
Australia stood with the US, Japan, the EU and Canada at the 
22-23 June meeting of the Hague Code of Conduct Against 
Ballistic Missile Proliferation in issuing strong national 
statements against a long-range missile test. 
Australia has played an active role in the prevention of 
missile proliferation in the region and further afield. We 
CONFIDENTIAL 5 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 5 of 8 
are an active member of the Missile Technology Control Regime 
which seeks to prevent such proliferation by means of 
harmonised export licensing arrangements among the Regime's 
member states. 
End text. 
¶7. (U) Below is the text of Foreign Minister Downer's press 
interview given immediately following his telephone call to 
DPRK Ambassador Chon. 
Begin text: 
TRANSCRIPTION: PROOF Copy E & OE 
DATE: 5 July 2006 
TITLE: Doorstop, Adelaide 
MR DOWNER: Let me just say in relation to the decision by the 
North Korean Government to conduct missile launching - first 
of all, we strongly condemn the decision by the North Korean 
Government to launch missiles. We believe that there have now 
been six missiles launched, five of those short range 
missiles, one of them we believe to be a long-range 
intercontinental ballistic missile, the launch of which was 
unsuccessful. But this decision by the North Koreans to 
launch these missiles is in contradiction of the stated 
position of the North Korean Government, going back to 1999 
when they brought in a self-imposed moratorium on missile 
testing and the agreement they signed in 2005 on principles 
for peace and security in North Asia - an agreement signed 
with the other five parties of the Six-party talks. 
I've spoken to the North Korean Ambassador myself this 
morning. I told the North Korean Ambassador that we condemn 
the testing of the missiles, that it did very much heighten 
concerns about the security of North Asia, particularly 
bearing in mind that North Korea was apparently testing 
long-range missiles, and that it was a country that was 
developing nuclear weapons. So this is of particular concern, 
obviously to countries in North Asia, not least Japan, but 
it's of grave concern to us as well as part of the region. 
Naturally enough it's of great concern to countries like the 
United States. 
I have also spoken to our Ambassador in Washington who in 
turn has spoken to the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice 
and through our Ambassador, made it clear to the Secretary of 
State that it's our view that the United States should take 
CONFIDENTIAL 6 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 6 of 8 
this matter to the United Nations Security Council. This is a 
challenge to international peace and security and it is a 
matter that should be discussed and considered by the 
Security Council itself. I understand the Americans are 
positive about taking this matter to the Security Council, I 
think it's very likely that they will, but in any case, we've 
made it clear to the Americans that it's our view that this 
is a matter that should be taken to the Security Council 
JOURNALIST: Could the missile range actually encompass 
Australia and is that missile nuclear capable? 
MR DOWNER: We don't know the extent to which the Taepo 
Dong-2 missile, at this stage, could be nuclear weaponised. 
But obviously in theory it could be, whether they have the 
capacity to do that right now is rather an open question. 
According to intelligence estimates, the Taepo Dong-2, which 
is an intercontinental ballistic missile, has a range of 
several thousand kilometres and it would have the capacity to 
travel to Australia - not of course that I am suggesting that 
North Korea launching this missile is targeting Australia, 
that wouldn't be right. But nevertheless, this is the point - 
here is a country with a government which is a government, if 
I may say so, of very great concern - a country with scant 
regard for human rights which has developed a nuclear weapons 
programme in defiance of its obligations under the nuclear 
non-proliferation treaty from which it has withdrawn. And now 
is testing long-range missiles - intercontinental ballistic 
missiles. Understandably, the international community as a 
whole is very concerned about this and Australia will 
certainly not be alone in its condemnation of what the North 
Koreans have done. 
JOURNALIST: Have you spoken to the (Inaudible) government at 
all or their representatives? 
MR DOWNER: I have spoken to their Ambassador, I have spoken 
to the North Korean Ambassador myself this morning. Obviously 
because I am in Adelaide I am not able to call the Ambassador 
into my office which I would normally do in these 
circumstances. But instead I have spoken to him on the 
telephone. And I have made it clear to him that we condemn 
what has happened and we see this as a real challenge to 
international security. 
I made another point to him too. I made the point to the 
Ambassador that North Korea is a very poor country - I have 
been there - a very poor country. It is a country where there 
is malnutrition in the north for the ordinary people of that 
CONFIDENTIAL 7 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 7 of 8 
country and yet they are spending their money on nuclear 
weapons programmes - on intercontinental ballistic missiles 
and short and medium-range missile systems. And I said to him 
that it doesn't seem to make any humanitarian sense to me for 
a small country like North Korea, in such dire straits, to be 
dedicating resources to those sorts of purposes. Now, the 
Ambassador's response was the normal North Korean response - 
that North Korea is threatened by the United States and that 
the United States shouldn't threaten North Korea and that the 
United States was wrong to demand that North Korea should 
unilaterally disarm its nuclear weapons and so on. But, the 
fact is, as I explained to him - the United States isn't the 
issue here, North Korea is a very real threat to 
international peace and security and we think this is a 
matter that should be brought to the United Nations Security 
Council. 
JOURNALIST: What sort of response are we likely to see from 
China? 
MR DOWNER: Well it's a good question. I mean, the Prime 
Minister spoke to Premier Wen about this when he was in China 
last week and the Chinese of course have been trying to 
persuade the North Koreans not to test missiles. So, what our 
view is is that the Chinese should continue to do everything 
they can, not only to stop the North Koreans from conducting 
further missile tests - and we think they probably do intend 
to launch more missiles in the next day or two, but, that the 
Chinese should do everything they can to persuade the North 
Koreans to come to the Six-party talks, to get back into 
negotiations leading to the abandonment of North Korea's 
nuclear and missile programmes and obviously their greater 
involvement in the mainstream affairs of the international 
community. 
JOURNALIST: But how fragile are those talks now? 
MR DOWNER: I think they are extremely fragile, and they 
haven't taken place for quite some time in any case. 
Obviously it's important that North Korea abandon this kind 
of rogue behavior and try to get back into the mainstream of 
North Asian politics and the broader international community. 
JOURNALIST: Minister, what sort of pressure can be brought to 
bear to try to change North Korea's mind. So few countries 
seem to have trade relations with North Korea, that's 
obviously not a strong option, the Security Council have been 
flouting, something they know that, so where do you go from 
here? 
CONFIDENTIAL 8 of 8 
CONFIDENTIAL 8 of 8 
MR DOWNER: Well it's not really a matter that's been 
considered by the Security 
Council and obviously if it is considered by the Security 
Council that constitutes a very serious deterioration in 
North Korea's relations with the broader international 
community. I have often said in the past that the country 
that has the most leverage over North Korea, in so far as 
anyone does, is China. North Korea depends on China for about 
half of its international trade and about 70% or 80% of its 
aid. So, at the end of the day they are very dependant on 
China and China is a country with the leverage. But in this 
case I don't doubt China's goodwill- China has been trying to 
persuade them there's nothing to be gained from conducting 
these tests and they've gone ahead with it anyway, so we just 
have to keep up the pressure. 
JOURNALIST: Did the North Korean Ambassador actually say 
(inaudible)? 
MR DOWNER: NO. he didn't. He actually said that this was a 
matter for the military and that he hadn't been really 
informed about it. 
JOURNALIST: But you understand that there is going to be 
further launches? 
MR DOWNER: I think it's possible that there will be further 
launches, yes. We have information that there may be, not 
that there will be, but that there may be. 
JOURNALIST: How do you expect the United States might react, 
do you think they might take pre-emptive action? 
MR DOWNER: I don't think the United States - the United 
States position is always that they don't rule in or rule out 
military action in any circumstances. That's a stock 
standard United States position and has been for a hundred 
years. But I don't think the United States is going to take 
military action in response to this, but I think 
appropriately they are likely to go to the United Nations 
Security Council and we certainly urge them to do that. 
End text. 
OWENS 
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