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 WELLINGTON 000507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR D (FRITZ), EAP/FO, EAP/K, AND EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD LIZ PHU 
PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NZ KN
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER PETERS CONDEMNS N.KOREA MISSILE 
TESTS 
 
 
Classified By: Pol-Econ Counselor Katherine Hadda, 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) On July 5, Foreign Minister Peters issued a 
strongly-worded statement condemning North Korea's missile 
tests.  David Taylor, Director of the North Asian Division at 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says that 
Peters rang the Ministry from his official travels in Hungary 
to express his concern about the tests and order the 
statement  be issued.  Taylor said that when GNZ's Ambassador 
to North Korea, Jane Coombs, presented her credentials in 
Pyongyang two weeks ago, she bluntly told President Kim Yong 
Nam that N.Korea should step down from its plans to test the 
missiles and should return to the six-Party talks.  He 
responded that it was his country's sovereign right to do 
tests and that many other countries do the same without 
complaints being made.  GNZ believes Coombs was the last 
foreigner to speak with Kim before the tests. 
 
¶2.  (C) Taylor said that Coombs, who is based in Seoul, is 
now liaising closely with the South Korean government. 
Taylor, who visited Pyongyang 6 times during his own stint as 
Ambassador in Seoul, said that the N.Koreans are "like 
children" in their need to get attention but are usually good 
at calculating risk.  In this case, however, GNZ is unclear 
on what is motivating them, and are particularly nonplused 
that the N.Koreans did not even issue any warnings before the 
missiles were launched. GNZ is watching the UN discussions on 
the tests, and is ready to make statements as appropriate. 
Taylor said that NZ's mission in New York had provided a copy 
of Minister Peters' statement to Ambassador Bolton. 
 
¶3.  (U) The following text is drawn from Peters' statement; a 
complete text can be found at www.mfat.govt.nz: 
 
"North Korea was advised clearly that missile testing would 
be seen as a provocative step.  These tests fuel concern 
about North Korea's behavior, adding to ongoing worry about 
its nuclear programmes and dismay that it has not rejoined 
the Six Party talks. 
 
"New Zealand's Ambassador conveyed our concerns in plain 
language when she met with President Kim Yong Nam recently. 
 
"North Korea is paranoid about its security, but this action 
-- against the sound advice of its neighbors and the wider 
international community -- can only do further harm to its 
already tarnished reputation and may well lead to discussion 
in the United Nations Security Council. 
 
"I very much hope North Korea will step back now from taking 
any more rash steps.  Pyongyang should go back to the Six 
Party talks as that is the only vehicle that can provide 
step-by-step progress towards an improved security situation, 
the removal of its nuclear weapons programmes and unlock 
desperately needed development assistance funding." 
 
McCormick