PRC/AFRICA: MFA UPDATE ON SUDAN, UNSC AND STATUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002952 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2016 TAGS: PREL CH SU AX SUBJECT: PRC/AFRICA: MFA UPDATE ON SUDAN, UNSC AND STATUS OF PLANNING FOR HU TRIP TO AFRICA Classified By: Political External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Beijing considers the November 2005 Africa subdialogue between A/S Frazer and now-VFM Lu Guozeng to have been a success and looks forward to a second annual dubdialogue with Washington later this year. China believes Khartoum should have the final say on whether the UN takes over peacekeeping duties in Darfur. China is a relatively new customer for African natural resources. China declared its continued support for African inclusion in UNSC enlargement at the African Union summit in January despite opposing the G-4 package. Chinese President Hu Jintao may go on to Africa following his expected U.S. tour in April. End Summary. Sudan: Let the Khartoum Government Decide -------------- ¶2. (C) Dai Bing, Director of the MFA African Department General Division (which handles regional and multilateral issues) told Poloffs during a February 14 meeting that Beijing recognizes there is a crisis in Darfur but believes that Khartoum's loss of control over the region is a major cause of the problem. Stressing that Sudan is handled by the West Asian and North African Affairs Department, Dai said he is familiar with the matter based on participating in a number of meetings on Sudan with VFM Lu Guozeng, who supervises both African as well as West Asian/North African Affairs. In that regard, Dai said his understanding is that the PRC believes the best approach is to push Khartoum to keep its internal affairs under control. Poloff responded that the problem is not a lack of control by Khartoum but rather its use of the brutal Janjaweed militias as a tool to try to exert control in the region. Dai said that the United States and China disagree on a number of aspects of the Darfur issue but that the PRC recognizes the need to address the crisis. In that regard, he said that African Union-led forces are adequate to keep peace in Darfur but need additional funding. China would not support a "re-hatting" of the AU's Darfur peacekeeping operation to the UN against the wishes of the Sudanese Government, according to Dai. He said China identifies with Sudan's concern to maintain sovereignty and national dignity due to their common history as "weak states." Pressed for a scenario where Beijing might support a call for UN peacekeeping in Darfur, Dai indicated that Beijing would not object if the Khartoum government itself agreed to a UN role. In his personal view, Dai said, the Darfur is not ready for resolution at present. ¶3. (C) Regarding U.S. intentions in Sudan, Dai mentioned unspecified South African media speculation that the United States sought to divide Sudan along North-South lines. Continuing in this far-fetched vein, Dai opined that the mountainous terrain of southern Sudan would give the United States a bastion for combating militant Islam in the region. Poloff responded that the United States has never sought such an outcome and Sudan's problems were largely due to internal strife and problems of the government's making, not external factors. Pressuring Khartoum on Darfur does not jeopardize the North-South accord, Poloff stated, but ignoring Darfur could give license to Khartoum to undermine the accord. UNSC Expansion -------------- ¶4. (C) Bing took pains to stress that while China opposed the G-4 proposal for Security Council expansion during the January AU Summit, the PRC declared its continued support for greater African representation in the UNSC. China highlighted in bilateral contacts with AU member states the importance of maintaining AU unity as it considers any future reform proposal. Although China's opposition to the G-4 package dampened expectations of its African partners, Beijing rationalized that it was not against expansion but against the G-4 "criteria" (code for China's opposition to Japan's UNSC bid). Dai claimed that many small African countries agreed with Beijing's stance as they were reluctant to see their "regional big neighbors" gain further prestige and influence through a long-term UNSC seat. China still supports African inclusion in UNSC reform and regards Africa as "the only continent presently lacking a UNSC permanent seat." When pressed, Dai said he considers that the United States represents all the Western Hemisphere. China: Just a New Kid Hunting for African Resources BEIJING 00002952 002 OF 002 -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Dai downplayed China's quest for African energy and natural resources deals, saying that China was merely a newcomer on the African scene. Reminded by Poloff that China has many of its longest diplomatic relations with African states, a point often reiterated by MFA officials, Dai clarified that China's economic push in Africa is recent, and that decades of prior relationships were essentially political. 2006: Busy Year for PRC-Africa -------------- ¶6. (C) 2006 will be a busy year for China-Africa affairs, according to Dai. He said Beijing considers AF Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer's November 2005 subdialogue on SIPDIS Africa a success and looks forward to a second round of discussions later this year. President Hu Jintao may go on to Africa following his expected April visit to the United States, though these visits have not been finalized. The PRC unveiled a new Africa policy and FM Li Zhaoxing toured the continent on his first overseas visit of the year, including participation in the Khartoum African Union summit. Randt