TFLE01: CCID OFFICIAL REFRAINS FROM CALLING FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 015563 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2031 TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO CH IS LE SUBJECT: TFLE01: CCID OFFICIAL REFRAINS FROM CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE IN LEBANON REF: A. BEIJING 15442 ¶B. BEIJING 15438 CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION DAVID S. SEDNEY. REASONS 1.4 (B/D). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) ALTHOUGH CHINA IS UPSET ABOUT THE DEATH OF A CHINESE UNIFIL PEACEKEEPER IN LEBANON AND INTRODUCED A UNSC PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT (PRST) CONDEMNING THE ATTACK, CENTRAL COMMITTEE INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT (CCID) MIDEAST DIVISION DIRECTOR JIAO ZHIXIN SAID CHINA IS NOT INSISTING ON A RETURN TO THE PRE- ABDUCTION STATUS QUO. HE DID NOT CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE. JIAO SAID THAT THE PRC HAS REFRAINED FROM CRITICIZING ISRAEL'S RESPONSE TO HEZBOLLAH'S ABDUCTIONS OF ISRAELI SOLDIERS, BECAUSE, IN THIS CASE, HEZBOLLAH WAS THE AGGRESSOR. HE STATED, HOWEVER, THAT IN HIS PERSONAL OPINION ISRAEL HAS NOW OVERREACTED. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) ISRAEL'S BOMBING OF THE UN POST AT KHAIM AND THE DEATH OF THE FOUR UNIFIL OBSERVERS, INCLUDING A CHINESE CITIZEN, DEEPLY TROUBLES CHINA ACCORDING TO JIAO ZHIXIN, DIVISION DIRECTOR OF CCID BUREAU III WHICH COVERS THE MIDDLE EAST, N. AFRICA, TURKEY, AFGHANISTAN AND CYPRESS. JIAO HOPED THE US WOULD SUPPORT THE CHINESE-SPONSORED PRST CONDEMNING THE BOMBING. HOWEVER, HE STOPPED SHORT OF OPENLY CRITICIZING ISRAEL, SIMPLY NOTING THAT KOFI ANAN ACCUSED ISRAEL OF DELIBERATELY BOMBING THE UN SITE AND STATING CHINA HAD CALLED ON ISRAEL TO PERFORM A FULL INVESTIGATION. "WHETHER OR NOT THE BOMBING WAS INTENTIONAL, THE ATTACK SHOWS THAT CHINA CANNOT ESCAPE BEING AFFECTED BY THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST," JIAO COMMENTED. ¶3. (C) WHEN ASKED IF BEIJING CONSIDERED A RETURN TO THE POST-ABDUCTION STATUS QUO IN LEBANON A VIABLE SOLUTION TO THE CURRENT FIGHTING, JIAO STATED THAT CHINA'S GOAL IS NOT A RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO, BUT TO OBTAIN PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE REGION. HE DID NOT CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE OR UNCONDITIONAL CEASEFIRE, AND ONLY SAID THAT CHINA BELIEVED THE BEST CHANCE FOR A SOLUTION LIES IN DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS. ¶4. (C) JIAO ATTRIBUTED CHINA'S RELATIVELY MUTED PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE FACT THAT HEZBOLLAH'S INCURSIONS STARTED THE CONFLICT. IN THE WAKE OF THE UNIFIL BOMBING, CHINA HAS MOVED QUICKLY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN THE UN, JIAO NOTED, COMMENTING THAT HE BELIEVES NOW THAT ISRAEL HAS GONE TOO FAR IN ITS REACTION TO THE HEZBOLLAH ABDUCTIONS. HE ASSERTED THAT THE OVERREACTION IS BETTER EXPLAINED BY ISRAELS DESIRE TO DIMINISH HEZBOLLAHS MILITARY STRENGTH, BUT COMMENTED THAT HEZBOLLAH'S STRENGTH REMAINS ALMOST UNDIMINISHED, WHILE CIVILIAN LOSSES AND NUMBERS OF DISPLACED PERSONS MOUNT. RANDT