VZCZCXRO5478
OO RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHMJ
DE RUEHUL #1668/01 2940754
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O 210754Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5977
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6803
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6872
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0416
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2239
RUEHKN/AMEMBASSY KOLONIA 0008
RUEHMJ/AMEMBASSY MAJURO 0020
RUEHKR/AMEMBASSY KOROR 0002
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 4138
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1636
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RUWDQAA/COMPACAREA COGARD ALAMEDA CA
RHMFIUU/COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA
RHMFIUU/COMCOGARD FORCECOM ALAMEDA CA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 001668 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS PREL PHSA EWWT MCAP XB
SUBJECT: U.S. COAST GUARD DISCUSSES COOPERATION WITH ASIAN 
COUNTERPARTS 
 
¶1. (U) This message is from the American Presence Post (APP) in 
Busan, Republic of Korea. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY:  The Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard met 
with his counterparts from Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, and 
Russia at the annual North Pacific Coast Guard Forum.  Through these 
meetings, the USCG discussed opportunities to increase exchanges and 
cooperation throughout the region.  Combating piracy and organized 
crime were also important topics discussed, as well as cooperating 
to strengthen Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau's capacity 
to patrol their own maritime boundaries.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (U) Vice Admiral D.P. Pekoske, Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast 
Guard, and Vice Admiral Jody Breckenridge, Pacific Area Commander, 
headed the U.S. delegation to the annual North Pacific Coast Guard 
Forum (NPCGF), held this year in Busan, Korea, September 7-10. 
During the forum, the Admirals held bilateral meetings with their 
counterparts from Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, and Russia. 
 
CANADA -- NO TO LORAN-C, YES TO ICE BREAKERS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) With Commissioner George Da Pont of the Canadian Coast 
Guard (CCG), VADM Pekoske discussed various issues of close 
cooperation.  Recognizing its limitations and maintenance 
difficulties, Commissioner Da Pont expressed his interest in having 
the CCG move away from the LORAN-C network, a system run in 
cooperation with Canada and Russia that provides radionavigation 
service through U.S. and Canadian coastal waters, as well as the 
Bering Sea.  Commissioner Da Pont stated that Canada will follow the 
USCG in this respect.  The CCG Commissioner also shared his desire 
that the CCG acquire two to three new heavy ice breakers, to be used 
in conjunction with the Canadian Navy.  Additionally, he hoped that 
the USCG would consider "going in" with the CCG on one of the new 
icebreakers in order to reduce costs.  As it reads now, it sounds 
like the USCG would be working with the Canadian Navy. 
 
JAPAN -- COMBATING PIRACY IN AFRICA AND SE ASIA 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Meeting shortly after the August 30 historical, Japanese 
election, Admiral Suzuki Hisayasu of the Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) 
stated that he believes the new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is in 
favor of and will support the JCG.  Admiral Suzuki and VADM Pekoske 
also discussed Japan's involvement in combating piracy.  Admiral 
Suzuki explained that the JCG sent eight of its members on two 
Maritime Defense Force Vessels to the Horn of Africa, where they 
assisted in escorting 121 ships safely.  He further shared that the 
JCG has the primary mandate to fight piracy, but that Africa is far 
enough that the JCG is required to cooperate with the Japan 
Self-Defense Force.  However, the JCG plans on dispatching its own 
vessels to combat piracy in Southeast Asia. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The two admirals discussed additional avenues of 
cooperation.  One, Admiral Suzuki and VADM Pekoske agreed on the 
benefits of cooperating with the work of the Sasakawa Peace 
Foundation in the Pacific states of Micronesia, the Marshall 
Islands, and Palau, conceptually agreeing to increase the Pacific 
islands' capacity to better patrol their own waters.  Two, they also 
suggested formalizing professional exchanges between the two 
services over the coming year. 
 
CHINA -- INCREASING EXCHANGES 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Senior Colonel Wang Zhengping of the China Coast Guard 
(CCG) and VADM Pekoske discussed the fruitful nature of exchanges 
and visits currently ongoing between the USCG and the CCG.  Among 
these is the commitment by USCG Commandant Admiral Thad Allen to 
send a Coast Guard Cutter to Shanghai during World Expo 2010. 
However, due to the complexity of security issues, Senior Colonel 
Wang suggested that this port call might need to be relocated at 
that time. 
 
SEOUL 00001668  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶8. (U) Other visits and exchanges that took place in 2009 include 
both ADM Allen and VADM Pekoske's visits to Beijing and port cities 
in China.  The Border Control Department sent four cadets and two 
officers for a limited exchange to operational units in Seattle, WA, 
and the USCG Academy in New London, CT, during the summer of 2009. 
The USCG intends to send a USCG cadet to the Maritime Police Academy 
in Ningbo, China, for a reciprocal visit in the near future. 
 
KOREA -- MORE EXCHANGES AND VISITS, PLEASE 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶9. (SBU) Commissioner General Lee Gil-bum of the Korean Coast Guard 
(KCG) emphasized his desire for a strong exchange program with the 
USCG.  Likewise, Commissioner General Lee would like to send a 
delegation to USCG training facilities to observe its anti-pollution 
systems.  The KCG plans to open a comprehensive training center in 
2013 and would like to develop similar anti-pollution systems. 
Commissioner General Lee and VADM Pekoske agreed to have their staff 
develop the necessary mechanisms for such exchanges. 
 
RUSSIA - CONCERN WITH MARITIME ORGANIZED CRIME 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶10. (SBU) Colonel General Victor Trufanov's greatest concern was 
with Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishery operations. 
Specifically Colonel General Trufanov emphasized his belief that IUU 
fishing is tied to the trafficking of arms, drugs, or persons.  As 
such, Colonel General Trufanov suggested greater cooperation and 
intelligence sharing among the countries involved in the NPCGF. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Through the NPCGF, the USCG has been able to deepen 
relations and cooperation with their Northeast Asian counterparts 
and develop positive synergy on key Coast Guard missions, including 
search and rescue and combating trafficking, illegal maritime 
operations, and piracy.  For example, exchange of personnel and 
expertise was a consistent theme in each bilateral meeting, with all 
participants hoping to increase the quality and quantity of exchange 
programs.  Such participation serves as an additional tool through 
which the United States can improve relations within the region. 
 
STEPHENS