PRC/SUDAN: CHINA EMPHASIZES NEED FOR KHARTOUM'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 017497

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF, IO
USUN FOR PHEE



E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER KPKO SU CH
SUBJECT: PRC/SUDAN: CHINA EMPHASIZES NEED FOR KHARTOUM'S
CONSENT PRIOR TO DARFUR MISSION

REF: USUN 1599

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL EXTERNAL UNIT CHIEF EDGARD KAGAN. REASONS 1.4
(B/D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: AN MFA OFFICIAL TOLD US THE PRC SUPPORTS
REHATTING THE AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN SUDAN (AMIS)
PEACEKEEPERS BUT CONTINUES TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF
SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY (GNU) CONSENT TO SUCH
AN OPERATION. BEIJING BELIEVES SUCH CONSENT IS NECESSARY
PRIOR TO PROCEEDING WITH A RESOLUTION AND CLAIMS TO HAVE
INSTRUCTED ITS EMBASSY IN KHARTOUM TO PUSH THE GNU TO AGREE.
THE PRC WILL NOT SUPPORT A "HASTY" RESOLUTION AND WANTS TO
WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE AUGUST 28 MEETING ON SUDAN AT THE UN.
THE PRC MAY BE ABLE TO SHOW FLEXIBILITY ON TIMING AND MANDATE
IF ITS CONCERNS ABOUT GNU CONSENT ARE ADDRESSED AND HOPES
THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL TAKE ITS VIEWS INTO ACCOUNT
DESPITE THE FACT THAT BEIJING IS NOT THREATENING A VETO.
STRESSING U.S. OBJECTION TO A GNU VETO OVER THE PROCESS, WE
STRESSED THE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY TO ADDRESS THE VERY
REAL HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN DARFUR. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) CHINA SUPPORTS A UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE UNITED NATIONS TO RE-HAT AFRICAN
UNION MISSION IN SUDAN (AMIS) PEACEKEEPERS. MFA
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DEPARTMENT UN DIVISION DIRECTOR
YANG TAO APPROACHED POLOFF ON THE MARGINS OF AN AUGUST 22
MEETING ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC TO SAY THAT BEIJING CONTINUES TO
BELIEVE THAT SUDANESE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY (GNU)
CONSENT IS NECESSARY PRIOR TO A UNSC RESOLUTION ON REHATTING
AND WILL NOT SUPPORT A "HASTY" RESOLUTION. NOTING U.S. AND
UK DESIRE TO FINALIZE A DRAFT RESOLUTION ON AUGUST 25, YANG
SAID THAT BEIJING CANNOT SUPPORT SUCH A MOVE IN LIGHT OF THE
UPCOMING AUGUST 28 MEETING ON SUDAN.


3. (C) YANG SAID THE PRC RECOGNIZES U.S. OBJECTIONS TO
REFERRING TO THE NEED FOR GNU CONSENT IN THE RESOLUTION TEXT.
SECURING SUCH GNU CONSENT PRIOR TO MOVING FORWARD IS "VERY
IMPORTANT" TO CHINA, HE SAID, WHILE STRESSING THAT THE PRC
HAS INSTRUCTED ITS EMBASSY IN KHARTOUM TO PUSH THE GNU TO
GIVE ITS CONSENT. IN CHINA'S VIEW, TIMING (OCTOBER 1) AND
AUTHORITY (CHAPTER VII) ARE IMPORTANT, BUT YANG INDICATED
THAT CHINA MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHOW FLEXIBILITY ON THESE ISSUES
SO LONG AS THE GNU HAS CONSENTED TO A UNPKO.


4. (C) NOTING U.S. OBJECTION TO LANGUAGE REQUIRING GNU
CONSENT IN A DRAFT RESOLUTION, YANG SAID THAT THE LANGUAGE IS
LESS IMPORTANT THAN GETTING THE CONSENT, WHICH THE PRC
BELIEVES THE GNU WILL EVENTUALLY PROVIDE. CHINA BELIEVES
THAT MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING UNSC MEMBERS, WILL NOT
SUPPORT A RESOLUTION WITHOUT GNU CONSENT, HE NOTED. YANG
SAID THE PRC WANTS TO AVOID A DISAGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED
STATES ON SUDAN, COMMENTING THAT BEIJING CONSIDERS THE ISSUE
SECONDARY TO ADDRESSING IRANIAN AND NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR
PROGRAMS. HE SAID THAT THE PRC HOPES THE UNITED STATES WILL
TAKE ITS CONCERNS INTO ACCOUNT DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT IS
NOT THREATENING A VETO.


5. (C) POLOFF STRESSED THAT THE UNITED STATES SEEKS TO ADOPT
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE A UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION THAT WILL AUTHORIZE A UN-AMIS TRANSITION NO LATER
THAN OCTOBER 1. THE UNITED STATES LOOKS FORWARD TO CHINA'S
SUPPORT AND HOPES CHINA WILL EXERT ITS INFLUENCE TO GET SUDAN
TO DROP HIS OBJECTIONS TO THE RESOLUTION. THE UN
PEACEKEEPING MISSION NEEDS A ROBUST MANDATE TO STOP THE GRAVE
AND DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN DARFUR AND SUDAN
SHOULD NOT HAVE A VETO ON INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO SUPPORT
REGIONAL STABILITY AND PROTECT INNOCENT LIVES.
SEDNEY