Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING19546
2006-09-14 11:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

SEPTEMBER 12 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NORTH KOREA, KIM

Tags:  PREL CH KN JA 
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VZCZCXYZ0046
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBJA #9546 2571121
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF1948 2571211
O 141121Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS
UNCLAS BEIJING 019546 

SIPDIS



SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CH KN JA
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER 12 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NORTH KOREA, KIM
JONG-IL VISIT RUMORS, CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR DALAI LAMA,
TAIWAN REJECTED AT UN, VENEZUELA ON UNSC, IRAN, MIL-MIL
COOPERATION WITH USA, SINO-JAPAN RELATIONS, TERRITORIAL
WATERS, UNIFIL, ZIMBABWE LOAN AND UPCOMING VISITS


UNCLAS BEIJING 019546

SIPDIS



SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CH KN JA
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER 12 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: NORTH KOREA, KIM
JONG-IL VISIT RUMORS, CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR DALAI LAMA,
TAIWAN REJECTED AT UN, VENEZUELA ON UNSC, IRAN, MIL-MIL
COOPERATION WITH USA, SINO-JAPAN RELATIONS, TERRITORIAL
WATERS, UNIFIL, ZIMBABWE LOAN AND UPCOMING VISITS



1. KEY POINTS MADE AT THE SEPTEMBER 14 MFA PRESS BRIEFING
WERE:

-- RESUMING THE SIX-PARTY TALKS REQUIRES EFFORTS BY ALL
PARTIES. ON U.S. "SANCTIONS" AGAINST THE DPRK, CHINA
SUPPORTS PROSECUTION OF THOSE COMMITTING FINANCIAL CRIMES
BASED ON THE FACTS AND EVIDENCE.

-- THERE ARE "NO ARRANGEMENTS" FOR KIM JONG-IL TO VISIT CHINA.

-- THE U.S. CONGRESS' PROPOSAL TO AWARD A MEDAL TO THE DALAI
LAMA SENDS "WRONG SIGNALS TO TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE FORCES" AND
DAMAGES THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIP.

-- TAIWAN'S EFFORT TO JOIN THE UNITED NATIONS "GETS TAIWAN
NOWHERE."

-- CHINA SUPPORTS VENEZUELA'S BID FOR A SEAT AT THE UNSC.

--THE EU-3 DISCUSSIONS WITH IRAN PRODUCED SOME RESULTS AND
THE PARTIES SHOULD GRASP THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESUME TALKS.

-- CHINA MAY BE READY TO ENHANCE MILITARY EXCHANGE WITH THE
UNITED STATES, INCLUDING STUDYING A PROPOSED MILITARY "HOT
LINE."

-- RELATIONS WITH JAPAN CAN IMPROVE ONLY WITH REMOVAL OF
POLITICAL OBSTACLES.

-- CHINA SEEKS TO AVOID DISPUTES WITH NEIGHBORS IN
TERRITORIAL WATERS, INCLUDING NEAR A SOUTH KOREAN ISLAND
WHERE CHINA REPORTEDLY CONDUCTED AERIAL SURVEILLANCE.

-- THE SPOKESMAN HAD NO NEW INFORMATION ABOUT CHINAS UNIFIL
TROOP COMMITMENT OR A REPORTED LOAN TO ZIMBABWE.

--THE LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT WILL VISIT BEIJING. VICE PREMIER
ZENG PEIYAN WILL TRAVEL TO HUNGARY, BELGIUM, IRELAND AND
NORWAY.

SIX-PARTY TALKS
--------------


2. RESPONDING TO A REPORTER'S STATEMENT THAT THE UNITED
STATES MIGHT LIFT FINANCIAL "SANCTIONS" AGAINST NORTH KOREA,
MFA SPOKESPERSON QIN GANG SAID RESUMPTION OF THE SIX-PARTY
TALKS NEEDS THE EFFORTS OF ALL SIX PARTIES TO ELIMINATE
CURRENT OBSTACLES AND TO CREATE MUTUAL TRUST. WHEN PRESSED,
QIN SAID CHINA'S POSITION ON FINANCIAL CRIMES IS CLEAR:
PROSECUTING SUCH CRIMES REQUIRES "STICKING TO THE FACTS AND
THE EVIDENCE."


3. ASKED WHETHER KIM JONG-IL WOULD VISIT CHINA IN THE NEAR
FUTURE, QIN ANSWERED THAT THERE ARE "NO SUCH ARRANGEMENTS."


4. BEIJING IS NOT CONSIDERING ANY AMENDMENT OF ITS TREATY OF
FRIENDSHIP WITH NORTH KOREA, QIN SAID. CHINA'S POSITION

TOWARDS NORTH KOREA IS "CONSISTENT AND REMAINS UNCHANGED."


5. ASKED ABOUT A REPORT THAT A/S HILL RECENTLY OFFERED THAT
THE UNITED STATES WOULD ENTER BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
DPRK, QIN SAID FLATLY THE REPORT "IS NOT TRUE." QIN FOLLOWED
UP BY SAYING CHINA SUPPORTS DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND THE DPRK.

DALAI LAMA CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL
--------------


6. THE UNITED STATES IS SENDING "VERY SERIOUS WRONG SIGNALS
TO TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE FORCES," "SERIOUSLY INTERFERING" WITH
CHINESE INTERNAL ISSUES AND DAMAGING THE U.S.-CHINA
RELATIONSHIP BY THE U.S. CONGRESS' INSISTENCE, DESPITE BEING
WELL-AWARE OF BEIJING'S VIEWS, ON GRANTING THE DALAI LAMA A
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL, STATED QIN. HE SAID THE WORDS AND
ACTIONS OF THE DALAI LAMA ARE AIMED AT SPLITTING CHINA.

TAIWAN REJECTED AT THE UN
--------------


7. RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT TAIWAN'S UNSUCCESSFUL BID





FOR UN MEMBERSHIP, QIN SAID TAIWAN FAILED FOR THE 14TH TIME
IN ITS "SO-CALLED JOINING" OF THE UN, ADDING THAT CHALLENGING
THE ONE CHINA POLICY "GETS TAIWAN NOWHERE." QIN ADMONISHED
TAIWAN "TO CEASE THESE ATTEMPTS TO SPLIT THE COUNTRY."

VENEZUELAN SEAT ON THE UNSC
--------------


8. QIN CONFIRMED THAT PRESIDENT CHAVEZ OF VENEZUELA RAISED
THE ISSUE OF A VENEZUELAN SEAT AT THE UNSC DURING HIS RECENT
VISIT TO CHINA. CHINA SUPPORTS THIS OUTCOME BECAUSE "AT
PRESENT, CHINA HAS A SOUND AND VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP" WITH
VENEZUELA, HE SAID.

IRAN
--------------


9. BEIJING MAINTAINS CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH ALL RELEVANT
PARTIES REGARDING THE IRAN NUCLEAR ISSUE AND IS MAKING
POSITIVE EFFORTS AT THIS "CRUCIAL JUNCTURE" TO RESUME
NEGOTIATIONS, SAID QIN. THE EU-3 TALKS WITH IRAN GARNERED
SOME ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHINA URGES ALL PARTIES TO MAINTAIN
PATIENCE AND CALM TO FIND A WAY FORWARD. CHINA CALLS ON IRAN
TO CONSIDER THE CONCERNS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND
COOPERATE WITH THE IAEA TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. THE MAIN POINT
IS TO GRASP THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE EU-3 AND IAEA AND GRAB
THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESUME TALKS, HE SAID.

U.S.-CHINA MIL-MIL COOPERATION
--------------


10. THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA HELD JOINT SEARCH AND RESCUE
EXERCISES AND CHINESE NAVAL VESSELS VISITED U.S. PORTS,
REPORTED QIN. BEIJING HOPES SUCH MILITARY-TO-MILITARY
COOPERATION CAN BE MAINTAINED AND WISHES TO ENHANCE DIALOGUE
AND MUTUAL TRUST. CHINA STANDS READY TO ENHANCE, AND WOULD
CONSIDER EXPANDING, MILITARY EXCHANGE WITH THE UNITED STATES.
RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT A POSSIBLE MILITARY "HOT
LINE" BETWEEN THE WASHINGTON AND BEIJING, QIN SAID BEIJING IS
OPEN TO DIALOGUE AND WOULD GIVE SUCH A PROPOSAL CAREFUL
STUDY.

SINO-JAPANESE RELATIONS
--------------


11. JAPAN IS A CLOSE NEIGHBOR AND CHINA ATTACHES IMPORTANCE
TO MILITARY COOPERATION WITH IT, BUT REMOVING POLITICAL
OBSTACLES WILL BE NECESSARY TO FACILITATE SUCH COOPERATION,
QIN SAID. ANSWERING A KYODO NEWS REPORTER'S QUESTION ABOUT
WHETHER CHINESE LEADERS PLAN TO MEET AT THE APEC LEADERS
MEETING WITH THE NEW PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN WHO WILL BE
ELECTED NEXT MONTH, QIN SAID HE HAD NO SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
QIN SAID IT WILL TAKE JOINT EFFORTS TO REMOVE POLITICAL
OBSTACLES AND RETURN TO "NORMAL DEVELOPMENT" OF CHINA-JAPAN
RELATIONS.

DISPUTES OVER TERRITORIAL WATERS
--------------


12. RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT CHINA'S DISPUTES WITH
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES ABOUT TERRITORY IN THE SEAS SURROUNDING
CHINA, QIN SAID CHINA WILL SAFEGUARD ITS SOVEREIGNTY AND
TERRITORY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1992 UN CONVENTION ON THE
LAW OF THE SEA AND THE 1996 DECLARATION ON THE BASELINES OF
THE TERRITORIAL SEA. WHERE DISPUTES CANNOT BE RESOLVED NOW,
CHINA SUPPORTS TRANSITIONING MEASURES, SHELVING DIFFERENCES
AND GOING FORWARD WITH JOINT DEVELOPMENT.

CHINESE SURVEILLANCE OF KOREAN ISLAND
--------------


13. ASKED ABOUT A REPORT THAT CHINA CARRIED OUT AERIAL
SURVEILLANCE ON SOUTH KOREAN FACILITIES ON IEO ISLAND
(PRONOUNCED SUYAN IN CHINESE) IN THE EAST CHINA SEA, QIN
RESPONDED THAT CHINA HAS NO SOVEREIGN DISPUTE WITH THE ROK
OVER THE ISLAND AND CONSULTS WITH THE ROK OVER DEMARCATION OF
THE SEA.

NO INFORMATION ON UNIFIL COMMITMENTS, ZIMBABWE LOAN
-------------- --------------







14. THE SPOKESMAN SAID HE HAD NOTHING NEW TO ADD ABOUT
CHINA'S SUPPORT OF UNIFIL, NOTING THAT SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENTS
FOR TROOP INCREASES ARE CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION. HE HAD
NO INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT A PURPORTED
CHINESE LOAN OF 200 MILLION USD TO ZIMBABWE, BUT SAID CHINA
HAS FRIENDLY COOPERATION WITH ZIMBABWE AND SUPPORTS ITS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

VISITS
--------------


15. AT THE INVITATION OF PRESIDENT HU JINTAO, LITHUANIAN
PRESIDENT VALDAS ADAMKUS WILL VISIT CHINA FROM SEPTEMBER
23-28.


16. VICE PREMIER OF THE STATE COUNCIL ZENG PEIYAN WILL VISIT
FOUR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FROM SEPTEMBER 19-28: HUNGARY, AT THE
INVITATION OF PRIME MINISTER FERENC GYURCSANY; BELGIUM, AT
THE INVITATION OF DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF
FINANCE REYNDERS; IRELAND AT THE INVITATION OF THE
GOVERNMENT; AND THE KINGDOM OF NORWAY.
RANDT