PRC/PAKISTAN: PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF'S VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 004020 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV CH SUBJECT: PRC/PAKISTAN: PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF'S VISIT TO BEIJING REF: OSC CPP20060221332013 Classified By: Political External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's February 19-23 visit to China appears to have gone predictably well, with no real surprises other than a strong push to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full member. The largely pro-forma MFA readout called the trip a success and highlighted the meeting between Musharraf and President Hu Jintao as particularly productive. Beyond the Joint Statement signed by the two countries, the other bilateral documents trumpeted by the PRC press are only agreements in principle. Pakistan asked Beijing to increase pressure on India to take positive steps towards resolving the Kashmir crisis. The MFA briefer said China maintains a positive attitude towards Pakistan's participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). A Pakistan Embassy officer said Musharraf's goal was to raise Pakistan-China relations to a new level and that Pakistan is particularly interested in benefiting from PRC policies to support economic growth in China's western provinces. The officer stressed Pakistani interest in joining the SCO as a full member as soon as possible, claiming that Pakistan views the SCO as the most important regional organization in which it participates. He also said that Pakistan will never be able to trust India and must rely on its "good friends" to keep India in check. Preparations are underway for President Hu to visit Pakistan. End Summary. MFA Briefing on Musharraf's Visit -------------- ¶2. (C) President Musharraf and President Hu Jintao had very productive meetings that promoted the overall development of friendly relations between their two countries, stated MFA Asian Department Deputy Director for Pakistan Affairs Ms. Wang Lixin. Wang provided a readout of the visit on February 27 to Poloff and a South Korean Embassy officer. The briefing hewed closely to official Chinese press coverage of the visit, and recapped the Joint Statement the two leaders signed (ref). Wang stated that Musharraf's visit kicked off a year of activities celebrating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations. When asked about future plans or whether or not Hu would visit Pakistan, Wang replied that no decisions had been made. Wang said that in every meeting President Musharraf emphasized that Pakistan and China should work together to expand economic cooperation and should strive to improve people to people contact. He also repeatedly extended condolences for the three Chinese engineers killed in a terrorist attack in Balochistan in February. The two countries signed 13 bilateral agreements, but when pressed for details, Wang admitted that the documents only represent agreements on general principles. ¶3. (C) Wang said Musharraf raised the Kashmir issue with Hu, expressing concern that the militants are gaining strength and that the "world is losing the opportunity" to end this dispute. Musharraf reportedly asked Beijing to increase pressure on India to take positive steps towards resolving the dispute. ¶4. (C) Musharraf thanked the PRC for its support of Islamabad's participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as an observer, according to Wang. Pakistan wants full membership in the SCO as soon as possible. China holds a positive attitude toward Pakistan's participation in the SCO, but according to Wang China must adhere to and abide by the SCO Charter as well as respect the opinions of the other SCO members. Hu Jintao extended an invitation to Musharraf to attend the SCO Summit in mid-June. Pakistan Diplomat's Perspective -------------- ¶5. (C) The goal of President Musharraf's visit to Beijing was to raise Pakistan-China relations to a new level of cooperation, according to Pakistan Embassy officer S. Naveed Safdar Bokhari who participated in Musharraf's meetings. In a March 2 meeting with BEIJING 00004020 002 OF 002 poloff, Bokhari said the overall Pakistan-China relationship is developing well. According to Bokhari, Pakistan hopes to benefit from China's domestic economic policy to promote economic growth in its western provinces and that Musharraf urged cooperation in repairing and expanding the Karakoram highway. Bokhari argued that Pakistan can never trust India even though he acknowledged that relations are beginning to thaw. Pakistan still relies on its "good friends" to keep India in check, according to Bokhari. ¶6. (C) Bokhari stated that Pakistan considers the SCO to be the most important regional organization it participates in and places greater value on it than the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). He characterized the SAARC as a stagnant organization while claiming that the SCO is an association that includes some of the world's major powers. Through its participation in the SCO, Pakistan has been able to revive its bilateral relationship with Russia, according to Bokhari. Pakistan understands that the SCO Charter must be amended before new members can join the organization but is hopeful that progress will be made at the mid- June Summit. Bokhari confirmed that Hu Jintao personally invited Musharraf to attend the Summit and said that either Musharraf or the Prime Minister will attend. ¶7. (C) Musharaff reiterated Pakistan's standing invitation to Hu Jintao to visit Pakistan. Bokhari claims that preparations are underway and that Pakistani Embassy officials have met with their MFA counterparts to discuss a Hu visit. Sedney