O 231500Z JUL 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ASTANA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BISHKEK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT IMMEDIATE

S E C R E T STATE 079112 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2033 
TAGS: MNUC PARM PREL AF CH KG KZ TI TX UZ
 
SUBJECT: (S) FLIGHT OF PROLIFERATION CONCERN BETWEEN DPRK 
AND IRAN 
 
REF: ASTANA 1286 
 
Classified By: ISN Acting DAS Kenneth W. Staley, 
Reasons 1.4 (b), (c), and (d) 
 
THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  SEE PARA 2. 
 
¶1. (S) Posts are requested to approach appropriate-level host 
nation officials regarding a planned North Korean flight to 
Iran of proliferation concern and encourage them to deny 
overflight for the aircraft or require that it land and be 
subjected to inspection before proceeding.  Posts may draw 
from background, objectives, and talking points/non-paper 
below as appropriate. 
 
---------- 
OBJECTIVES 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, 
TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN):  Posts should encourage host 
governments, as partner nations in the Proliferation Security 
Initiative (PSI) and consistent with their obligations under 
UNSCRs 1718, 1737, and 1747, to deny overflight or to insist 
that the aircraft land for inspection before proceeding. 
 
¶3.  (S//REL CHINA) Embassy Beijing should encourage China, 
consistent with its obligations under UNSCRs 1718, 1737, and 
1747, to deny overflight or to insist that the aircraft land 
for inspection before proceeding. 
 
¶4.  (S//REL KAZAKHSTAN) Our information currently does not 
indicate a North Korean intent to overfly Kazakhstan, 
suggesting that GOK, per REFTEL, has denied the DPRK,s 
request.  Embassy Astana is requested to express appreciation 
for GOK,s proactively notifying us of the DPRK overflight 
request and urge them to deny any such request if they have 
not already done so.  Post may share the below non-paper with 
GOK, as appropriate. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶5.  (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN)  The USG has received 
information that a flight of proliferation concern between 
North Korea and Iran is scheduled to occur in late July. 
 
¶6. (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TAJIKISTAN) Our 
information does not currently indicate a North Korean intent 
to route the flight over Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, or 
Tajikistan.  We are, however, providing them this information 
in the spirit of our cooperation under PSI, and to ask them 
to deny overflight or inspect the aircraft in the event the 
North Koreans re-route the flight. 
 
¶7. (S) Embassies should note that bullet #1 is for Beijing 
only, bullet #2 is for all recipients except Beijing, and 
bullet #3 is for Astana, Kabul, and Dushanbe only.  The rest 
of the non-paper is for all recipients. 
 
------------------------ 
TALKING POINTS/NON-PAPER 
------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) Begin talking 
points/non-paper: 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA) We would like to raise with you a North 
Korean flight of proliferation concern that may request 
overflight of your territory as it transits to and from Iran. 
 
-- (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, 
TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) In the spirit of our cooperation 
under the Proliferation Security Initiative, we would like to 
raise with you a North Korean flight of proliferation concern 
that may request overflight of your territory as it transits 
to and from Iran. 
 
-- (S//REL AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TAJIKISTAN) While our 
current information indicates that this flight will not cross 
your territory, we are providing it to you in the spirit of 
our cooperation as PSI partners and in the event that the 
flight,s schedule is changed and you do receive a North 
Korean overflight request. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) We are concerned that 
this chartered, round-trip passenger flight may be carrying 
DPRK personnel involved in ongoing cooperation with Iran on 
ballistic missiles. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) As you know, the 
transfer by North Korea of WMD components or delivery 
systems, certain military goods, and related materials 
including spare parts, is prohibited by UNSCR 1718.  UNSCR 
1718 also prohibits transfers from or to North Korea of 
technical training, advice, services or assistance related to 
WMD, their delivery systems, and certain conventional arms. 
Iran is prohibited from obtaining WMD, delivery systems, 
related components, and related technical assistance and 
training under UNSCRs 1737 and 1747. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) We therefore request 
that overflight permission be denied or made contingent on 
inspection of the aircraft to ensure that any cargo or 
passengers it carries are not arriving in Iran in violation 
of UNSCR 1718, 1737, 1747 or other UN resolutions. 
Alternately, if this aircraft requests a fueling stop in your 
country, we request that you grant this permission and 
promptly search the aircraft upon its arrival for evidence of 
prohibited items or activities. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) Information about the 
flights are as follows.  The outbound flight from the DPRK is 
expected on or about July 31, 2008.  The aircraft is a North 
Korean-registered Il-62, flight JS-621, scheduled to depart 
Pyongyang on 28 July at 0001Z and land in Tehran at 0940Z. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) From North Korea, the 
flight is scheduled to pass into Chinese airspace at or about 
0025Z and leave Chinese airspace for Kyrgyzstan at 0600Z. 
From there, the flight is scheduled to pass over Uzbekistan 
and Turkmenistan and arrive in Iranian airspace at or around 
0825Z. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) The return flight, 
JS-622, is scheduled to depart Tehran on 31 July at 1330Z and 
arrive at Pyongyang at 2220Z. 
 
-- (S//REL CHINA, AFGHANISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, 
TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN) From Iran, the flight 
is scheduled to pass into Turkmenistan airspace on or about 
1440Z and pass over Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, entering 
Chinese airspace from Kyrgyzstan at 1655Z.  From there the 
flight is scheduled to re-enter North Korean airspace on or 
around 2200Z. 
 
 
END POINTS. 
 
----------------------------- 
REPORTING REQUIREMENT AND POC 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Please report delivery of demarche and any immediate 
response by July 24. 
 
¶7.  (U) Washington point of contact for follow-up information 
is Tom Zarzecki, (202) 647-7594, [email protected]. 
Please slug all responses for EAP, NEA, ISN, SCA, and T. 
Washington appreciates Posts, assistance. 
RICE 
 
 
NNNN 
 



End Cable Text