AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES SPECIAL OLYMPICS, SHANGHAI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 016399 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2016 TAGS: PHUM KIRF KOLY CH SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES SPECIAL OLYMPICS, SHANGHAI SYNAGOGUES WITH SHANGHAI VICE MAYOR REF: SHANGHAI 5263 CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR CLARK T. RANDT, JR. REASONS 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: DURING A JULY 28 LUNCH FOR VISITING SPECIAL OLYMPICS INTERNATIONAL CHAIR TIMOTHY SHRIVER, THE AMBASSADOR DISCUSSED WITH SHANGHAI VICE MAYOR ZHOU TAITONG CHINA'S PREPARATIONS FOR HOSTING THE 2007 SPECIAL OLYMPICS. ZHOU, WHO IS EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS AND RESPONSIBLE FOR HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL PRESERVATION, RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO THE AMBASSADOR'S REQUEST THAT SHANGHAI PRESERVE ITS HISTORIC SYNAGOGUES FOR USE BY THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) AT A JULY 28 LUNCHEON HOSTED BY THE AMBASSADOR AT HIS RESIDENCE, U.S.-BASED SPECIAL OLYMPICS INTERNATIONAL CHAIR TIMOTHY SHRIVER INTRODUCED THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS MOVEMENT TO CHINESE OFFICIALS AND BEIJING-BASED AMBASSADORS FROM THE THIRTEEN NATIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE THE MOST ATHLETES TO THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. SHANGHAI VICE MAYOR ZHOU, IN BEIJING TO ATTEND THE LUNCH, OUTLINED STEPS SHANGHAI IS TAKING TO WELCOME THE GAMES AND SHOWED AN EMOTIONAL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING THE EFFORTS OF THREE CHINESE SPECIAL OLYMPIANS. ON BEHALF OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER CUI TIANKAI SIMILARLY EXPRESSED CHINA'S DETERMINATION TO HOST A SUCCESSFUL SPECIAL OLYMPICS AND THANKED THOSE INVOLVED IN PREPARATION TO DATE FOR THE OCTOBER 2007 GAMES. SHANGHAI SYNAGOGUES MAY BE PRESERVED -------------- ¶3. (C) THE AMBASSADOR TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO URGE VICE MAYOR ZHOU TO PRESERVE SHANGHAIS HISTORIC SYNAGOGUES, IN PARTICULAR, THE OHEL RACHEL AND THE OHEL MOSHE. VICE MAYOR ZHOU RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO THE SUGGESTION, NOTING THERE IS SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN RESTORING JEWISH PORTIONS OF SHANGHAI. HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD DONE SOME WORK ON PRESERVING SHANGHAI CHURCHES, WHICH PROVED TO BE GOOD FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. ¶4. (SBU) AS NOTED REFTEL, SHANGHAI'S MAYOR RECENTLY PROMISED THAT THE OHEL RACHEL SYNAGOGUE WOULD BE RESTORED IN TIME FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS, ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT COMMIT TO ITS MORE FREQUENT USE BY THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. SEPARATELY, AN AUGUST 1 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ARTICLE NOTED THAT ISRAELI AND AMERICAN DEVELOPERS ARRIVED IN SHANGHAI IN LATE JULY WITH PLANS TO INVEST UP TO US$2 BILLION IN A PROJECT THAT WILL INCLUDE A PARK, A PROPOSED JEWISH MUSEUM AND RESTORED HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE AREA AROUND THE OHEL MOSHE SYNAGOGUE. THE PROJECT IS SLATED TO OPEN IN TIME FOR SHANGHAIS HOSTING OF THE WORLD EXPO IN 2010. ¶5. (U) THIS MESSAGE WAS COORDINATED WITH CONSULATE GENERAL SHANGHAI. RANDT