NOVEMBER 7 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 023628 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ENRG KN CH SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 7 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS, BURNS AND JOSEPH VISITS, EGYPT AND AFRICA, SINO-RUSSIAN ENERGY ISSUES, SADDAM VERDICT, KYRGYZ DEMONSTRATIONS AND HU'S UPCOMING TRAVEL ¶1. Key points made at the regular November 7 MFA Press Briefing were: -- China calls for speedy resumption of Six-Party Talks. The spokesman deflected a question about excluding Japan from the Talks. -- United States' Undersecretaries Nick Burns and Robert Joseph will visit China this week. -- Cooperation on peaceful development of nuclear energy was a topic of Egyptian President Mubarak's state visit. -- Energy is a major part of the Sino-Russian relationship. -- Saddam Hussein's fate properly rests with the Iraqi people. -- China noted opposition rallies in Kyrgyzstan. -- President Hu Jintao will attend APEC in Vietnam and continue onward to Laos, India and Pakistan. Six-Party Talks -------------- ¶2. China hopes to resume Six-Party Talks as soon as possible, MFA Spokesperson Jiang Yu said at the regular scheduled November 7 press briefing. Following China's positive efforts, the delegations of the United States, China and the DPRK met recently in Beijing and agreed to resume the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible. ¶3. Responding to questions from reporters about the possibility of informal five-party talks, Jiang said the quick resumption of the Talks can relax the situation made more complicated by the DPRK nuclear test in October. Beijing hopes that the actions of all parties can create a positive atmosphere for the Six-Party Talks, when asked whether Japan should withdraw from the Talks. U/S Burns and U/S Joseph Visit -------------- ¶4. United States' Undersecretary Nick Burns and Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will co-chair the Third U.S.-China Strategic Dialogue, Jiang announced. U/S Burns will also meet respectively with FM Li Zhaoxing and Senior Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo on November 8. A consensus in the strategic dialogue is conducive to the bilateral relationship and to peace and stability of the international community. More information on U/S Robert Joseph's visit will be forthcoming after the November 8 meetings, Jiang announced. Egypt and China-African Relations -------------- ¶5. President Mubarak is following up his participation in the China-African Cooperation Summit with a state visit to Beijing, Jiang announced. China and Egypt are both signatory parties to an agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and China will honor this relationship in cooperating with Egypt to develop nuclear energy in the civilian sector, Jiang added. ¶6. The China-Africa strategic partnership is no different from China's other partnerships, Jiang said. Beijing's partnerships adhere to the principles of peace, equality and the mutual development of the parties. China and the African nations are developing countries and their mutual development is beneficial to the peace and stability of the international community. Russia-China Pipeline -------------- ¶7. Energy cooperation is an important part of the strategic relationship between China and Russia, Jiang answered when asked by a Kazakh news reporter about Sino-Russian oil pipeline cooperation. Russia and China have reached a consensus to work together on the construction of an oil pipeline that will be conducive to the common development of both nations, she added. Saddam Verdict BEIJING 00023628 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶8. China believes the fate of Saddam should be decided by the Iraqi people, Jiang said when asked to comment on the sentencing of Saddam Hussein. China hopes that all Iraqi people can enjoy peaceful lives as soon as possible, she stated. Kyrgyzstan Reforms -------------- ¶9. China has taken note of the opposition party demonstrations in Kyrgyzstan, Jiang said when asked to comment by a reporter. Kyrgyzstan is a friendly neighbor and fellow member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). China believes that the Kyrgyz people have the ability to resolve this issue within the legal framework. Beijing hopes the international community can play a constructive role in helping Kyrgyzstan to maintain its internal stability, Jiang said. China-Vietnam Relations -------------- ¶10. In order to implement the consensus reached in August between China and Vietnam, Counselor Tang Jiaxuan and Vietnamese PM Pham Gia Khiem will co-chair the first meeting of the upcoming Guiding Committee for China-Vietnam Bilateral Relationship. Visits -------------- ¶11. President Hu Jintao will attend the 14th APEC Economic Leaders meeting in Hanoi from November 17-19, Jiang announced. Hu will conduct a state visit to Vietnam from November 15-17 before APEC and will then visit Laos from November 19-20, India from November 20-23 and Pakistan from November 23-26. At the conclusion of the press conference, the MFA held a subsequent, more detailed briefing on Hu's planned travels following APEC (septel). ¶12. Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema will visit China November 12-15 to attend the second meeting of the Italy-China Intergovernmental Committee. Randt