VZCZCXRO1938
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #1828 2790919
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 060919Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7424
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2176
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 001828 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR ISN AND EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2016 
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP KN CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA ON NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST 
 
REF: STATE 166404 
 
Classified By: CDA Piper Campbell.  Reason: 1.4 (b) (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Pol/Econ officer delivered reftel demarche to Sun 
Suon, Director of MFA's International Organizations 
Department, on October 5, emphasizing that a North Korea 
armed with nuclear weapons was unacceptable to the U.S., that 
a nuclear weapons test would be "a grave miscalculation" on 
Pyongyang's part and that a test would have "dire" 
consequences.  We asked that Cambodia use its unique 
relationship with North Korea to ensure that the DPRK 
understood the seriousness of international reaction and to 
use its influence to convince the North Koreans not to 
conduct a test. 
 
¶2.  (C) Sun Suon agreed that a test would be bad for North 
Korea and for the region.  He said Cambodia's position would 
be based on the views of regional neighbors who were most 
concerned, including China, South Korea and Japan, as well as 
the U.S.  He added that Cambodia would follow ASEAN's lead, 
but he did not believe his boss (FM Hor Namhong) would want 
to issue a public statement.  In response to our referral to 
an earlier attempt by Hor Namhong to take an active role on 
the Korean Peninsula issue in 2003, Sun Suon reminded us that 
Hor Namhong's efforts when Cambodia held the ASEAN Chair had 
gone nowhere.  As for Cambodia's special relationship with 
North Korea, Sun Suon suggested that it was no longer as 
unique as it once was, now that Kim Il Sung has passed from 
the scene and King Sihanouk has retired from the Cambodian 
throne. 
CAMPBELL