AFM HE YAFEI DISCUSSES IRAN, NEPAL, HUMAN RIGHTS,

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 008027 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/CM, EAP/K, S/CT, DRL, SCA, SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2031 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV CH SUBJECT: AFM HE YAFEI DISCUSSES IRAN, NEPAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, NORTH KOREANS IN CHINA, 1267 COMMITTEE HOLD, SOLOMON ISLANDS REF: A. BEIJING 7834 ¶B. AMB. FITTS/KAGAN 4/26 EMAIL Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David S. Sedney. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei told the CDA that Beijing welcomes the May 9 New York meeting of P-5 plus one Foreign Ministers and appreciates close consultation with the United States on Nepal. Raising the apparent detention of blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng, the CDA pointed out that inaccurate statements by MFA officials harm our ability to work with China. The CDA called on China to cooperate with UNHCR and to cease returning North Koreans to the DPRK against their will. The CDA urged the release of three American citizens (Philip Buck, David Ji and Jude Shao) incarcerated in China. The CDA pushed for Beijing to lift the UNSC 1267 Committee hold on designation of Jamaat-ud-Dawa as a terrorist organization while pointing to our willingness to review any further evidence that would support China's desire to list the East Turkestan Liberation Organization (ETLO). AFM He urged the United States to provide promptly the statement requested by the court trying the civil case against PRC Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai. AFM He also discussed PRC efforts to evacuate Chinese from the riot-torn Solomon Islands. End Summary. Iran -------------- ¶2. (C) The CDA and AFM He Yafei at an April 27 lunch reviewed a variety of bilateral issues. AFM He opened by noting the April 26 phone conversation between Under Secretary Burns and AFM Cui Tiankai, commenting on the importance of close coordination on Iran. The PRC welcomes the proposed May 9 meeting of the P-5 plus one Foreign Ministers, according to AFM He, who wondered whether such a meeting might render superfluous the planned May 2 Political Directors' meeting. Nepal -------------- ¶3. (C) The Foreign Ministry has been very focused on Nepal, according to AFM He, who noted the good discussions on this subject April 26 between Under Secretary Burns and AFM Cui, between Ambassador SIPDIS Moriarty and visiting MFA Deputy Director General Luo in Kathmandu as well as between Assistant Secretary Boucher and PRC Embassy DCM Zheng Zeguang in Washington. AFM He said the United States and the PRC share identical goals and very similar views on Nepal. Beijing is relieved that the King's decision to transfer power to the political parties appears to have resolved the immediate crisis but continues to watch very closely and hopes to maintain close coordination with the United States. Blind Activist Chen Guangcheng -------------- ¶4. (C) The CDA raised the case of blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng. CDA said he had raised reports of Chen's detention with MFA Director General for North American Affairs Liu Jieyi, who had told him that Chen was not in detention, and that MFA IO Department Deputy Director General Shen Yongxiang had also given Polmincouns assurances that Chen had not been picked up by PRC security forces. Noting subsequent press reports quoting Chen's wife saying that he had been taken into police custody, the CDA emphasized that not being able to trust clear statements by MFA officials damages our ability to work with China. AFM He expressed surprise, said he also thought Chen had been released, but acknowledged the CDA's point and promised to look into the matter. North Koreans in China BEIJING 00008027 002 OF 003 -------------- ¶5. (C) Recalling President Bush's remarks to President Hu expressing our deep concern for North Koreans in China, the CDA emphasized the importance of PRC living up to its obligations under the 1951 Convention on Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, particularly cooperating witQR and not returning North Koreans to the DPRK against their will. AFM He reiterated the standard PRC position that North Koreans in China are economic migrants, not refugees and that Beijing goes to great lengths in its efforts to provide appropriate treatment. Specifically, AFM He pointed to the quick handling of cases where North Koreans have gained access to U.S. facilities as an example of PRC efforts. The CDA rejected AFM He's assertion that allQth Koreans in China are economic migrants while raising our strong objection to the deportation of asylum-seeker Kim Chun-hee to reiterate the importance of cooperation with UNHCR to ensure humane treatment of North Koreans in China. Incarcerated Amcits -------------- ¶6. (C) Highlighting AFM He's new role supervising the MFA Consular Department, the CDA urged the release of three American citizens incarcerated in China. Noting that in addition to being elderly and infirm, Philip Buck has admitted his guilt and expressed his regret for violating PRC law while carrying out humanitarian work to help North Koreans, the CDA urged his immediate release. The CDA also urged the release of David Ji and Jude Shao. AFM He said he would look into the three cases. 1267 Committee Hold on Jamaat-ud-Dawa -------------- ¶7. (C) Raising the PRC decision to put a hold on the designation of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD) as a terrorist group by the UNSC 1267 Committee, the CDA expressed disappointment that Beijing took this action despite our providing additional evidence (ref A) of the organization's clear connection to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LET). Urging China to lift the hold immediately, the CDA rejected AFM He's argument that the proof is insufficient and that the United States must provide more detailed evidence. ETLO/SHAT -------------- ¶8. (S/NOFORN) AFM He pressed for U.S. acceptance of the 1267 Committee designation of the East Turkistan Liberation Organization (ETLO, also known as SHAT in Turkic) as a terrorist organization. AFM He stressed the importance of designating ETLO/SHAT to Beijing, saying that the PRC wants to eliminate domestic terrorist organizations prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The CDA noted that at the April 26 meeting between Coordinator for Counterterrorism Crumpton and PRC Embassy DCM Zheng Zeguang, we reiterated our willingness to be responsive to any further evidence Beijing could provide. Bo Xilai Case -------------- ¶9. (C) AFM He noted that the court trying the civil case filed by Falungong activists against PRC Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai has asked the USG to provide its views on the matter. The PRC hopes the USG will move promptly to explain that Bo enjoys sovereign immunity. The CDA said that the appropriate authorities in the United States Government are working on a response to the court. Solomon Islands -------------- ¶10. (C) AFM He said China's other crisis this week has been the Solomon Islands, where the MFA coordinated the PRC airlift of over 300 ethnic Chinese from the riot-torn capital of Honiara. Poloff noted our BEIJING 00008027 003 OF 003 understanding (ref B) that the PRC had evacuated an ethnic Chinese American citizen and expressed our appreciation. AFM He said that the MFA had debated how to handle the question of ethnic Chinese who are not PRC citizens, noting that Beijing officials debated whether providing assistance to ethnic Chinese regardless o nationality might send the signal that it cosiders all ethnic Chinese to be PRC citizens.In the end, Beijing decided to respond favorablyto all requests for assistance by ethnic Chinese, regardless of nationality, but not to make a general announcement. CDA asked if the PRC had received requests from non-ethnic Chinese. AFM He said he did not know, but that China would certainly be prepared to help others if possible. SEDNEY