(C) PRC/SUDAN: PRC MFA ON BASHIR AT THE BEIJING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 024002 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF, EAP, EAP/CM INR FOR GILLES AND KNIGHT USUN FOR PHEE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2026 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID UN CH SU SUBJECT: (C) PRC/SUDAN: PRC MFA ON BASHIR AT THE BEIJING SUMMIT AND DARFUR UPDATE REF: A) BEIJING 22370 B) LIBREVILLE 00677 Classified By: Political External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao urged Sudanese President Bashir to cooperate with the international community on Darfur during bilateral meetings on November 2 and 3 in Beijing in advance of the Beijing Summit of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)(Ref A),according MFA West Asia and North Africa Department Deputy Division Director Weng Meihui. A different MFA contact told us Sudan granted China Market Economy Status (MES) during the Beijing Summit. Following the U.S.-China Senior Dialogue, Weng said that China shared its understanding of the U.S. position on Darfur with Khartoum, helping lay the groundwork for the UN-hosted consultations on Darfur in Addis Ababa on November 16. Weng, who attended the UN-hosted consultations in Addis, said negotiations were tough and noted frictions remain between Sudan and the international community. When Weng wondered whether the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) mandate should be extended to allow the details of the agreement on the hybrid African Union/United Nations force to be fully worked out, Poloff stressed the urgency of the humanitarian situation and urged China to use its influence with Sudan to ensure a credible peacekeeping force is deployed as soon as possible. End Summary. Hu-Bashir Bilateral -------------- ¶2. (C) President Bashir met separately with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on November 2 and 3 in Beijing to discuss Darfur in advance of the Beijing Summit, according MFA West Asia and North Africa Department Deputy Division Director Weng Meihui. Weng said the two meetings covered largely the same ground, with Hu and Wen making the following points: -- China hopes the international community and Sudan's Government of National Unity (GNU) could find a way to break the stalemate over the deployment of international peacekeepers in Darfur. -- China hopes Bashir can show flexibility and coordinate next steps with the African Union, the Arab League and the United Nations. -- China hopes the GNU can take tangible measures to improve regional stability and the humanitarian situation in Darfur. ¶3. (C) In response, Bashir said that he would seriously study China's views, according to Weng. Bashir said the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) is important and the African Union must take the lead on Darfur peacekeeping, Weng added. Weng said the PRC and GNU leaders did not discuss Market Economy Status (MES),but MFA West Asian and North African Department Deputy Division Director Zhou Biao separately told Poloff Sudan granted China MES. Tough Negotiations -------------- ¶4. (C) Noting that he attended UN-hosted consultations on Darfur on November 16 in Addis Ababa, Weng commented that the negotions were tough but China had a clear understanding of U.S. concerns based on Senior Dialogue discussions between Undersecretary for Political Affairs Burns and Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Weng observed. Following the U.S.-China Senior Dialogue, PRC officials shared their understanding of the U.S. position with GNU officials in Khartoum, New York and Beijing. At the time, Sudan's Embassy in Beijing responded that the GNU was interested in cooperating with the international community but maintains its concerns about United BEIJING 00024002 002 OF 002 Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1706, Chapter VII authority for UN forces and Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Sudan's Embassy in Beijing also insisted to MFA officials at the time that African Union (AU) forces must be in the lead in any hybrid AU-UN arrangement, Weng said. More Foot-Dragging On The Way? -------------- ¶5. (C) Still expressing his personal views, Weng noted that the Addis meeting left many critical details to be hammered out. He said points of friction remain with the international community and the GNU, citing the GNU's reservation on command-and-control authority through the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Weng queried whether differences could be resolved in time to place hybrid AU-UN forces in Darfur by January 1 and wondered aloud whether it would be better to extend the AMIS mandate in order to allow sufficient time for further consultation. In response, Poloff stressed the urgency of the humanitarian situation and urged China to use its influence with Sudan to ensure a credible peacekeeping force is deployed as soon as possible. Randt