READOUT OF ISRAEL MOD POL-MIL BUREAU CHIEF'S VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 004148 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP (PDAS D. KATHLEEN STEPHENS) STATE FOR PM (ASSISTANT SECRETARY JOHN HILLEN) STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA (MAHER) PENTAGON FOR ASD RODMAN, OSD ISRAEL DESK (ANDERSON) JOINT STAFF FOR J-5 HQ USEUCOM FOR ECJ5-E (KLOTHE) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016 TAGS: PREL PINR PTER ETTC KPKO MASS MARR MNUC CH IR, LE, KN, IS SUBJECT: READOUT OF ISRAEL MOD POL-MIL BUREAU CHIEF'S VISIT TO CHINA Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Gene A. Cretz. Reason: 1.4 (b) (d) -------------- SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶1. (C) On October 17, the chief advisor to Israeli MOD POL-MIL Bureau Chief Amos Gilad gave poloff a readout of Gilad's meetings with Chinese MFA and MOD officials during his September 25-28 visit to Beijing. During those meetings, the Chinese officials reportedly said that China: A) will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran, but believes more creative diplomacy is needed to resolve the issue; B) will send more peacekeepers to southern Lebanon, and would like to jointly assess the situation with Israel to gauge how many troops it should send; C) does not sell weapons to Hizballah, but recognizes that anyone can buy virtually any weapon on the arms market; D) approves of the current direction the U.S.-China relationship is heading in, and would welcome Israel's efforts to improve U.S. confidence in China's security policy; E) will not tolerate a nuclear armed North Korea, but feels more creativity and initiative are needed in the Six Party Talks; and F) hopes to enhance military and security cooperation with Israel. Poloff was asked to relay the readout to Washington in advance of Gilad's October 20 meeting with EAP PDAS D. Kathleen Stephens. Please see action request in paragraph ¶12. END SUMMARY. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (C) The following is a readout of meetings Israeli Political-Military Bureau Head MGEN (Res.) Amos Gilad and his chief advisor, Danishai Kornbluth, had with representatives of China's MFA and MOD from September 25-28 in Beijing. Kornbluth requested that Embassy Tel Aviv share this readout with EAP PDAS D. Kathleen Stephens in advance of his meeting with her scheduled for October 20. ¶3. (C) Gilad and Kornbluth spent September 25-28 in Beijing, China. They were invited by the Chinese Institute for International Strategic Studies, an institute that Kornbluth �00A;said is affiliated with the Chinese MOD and is headed by a general and former Chief of Staff. They met with officials from the Chinese MOD and MFA. Their meetings included a panel discussion with members of China's National Defense College and its head of research there -- an admiral that Kornbluth described as "interesting" and very forward thinking. What follows is Kornbluth's recounting to poloff on October 17 of what their Chinese interlocutors said to them, and, where appropriate, what Kornbluth and Gilad said in response. -------------- - IRAN: NUCLEAR ARMED IRAN WILL NOT BE TOLERATED -------------- - ¶4. (C) China completely opposes Iran's nuclear effort, and will not tolerate an Iran with a nuclear weapon capability. China completely understands the implications a nuclear-armed Iran would pose for the region, including the likelihood that it would lead to an arms race. China believes, nevertheless, that the matter must be resolved diplomatically. Kornbluth quoted one Chinese official as saying, "A military option would only inflame or worsen the crisis. Gilad's Chinese interlocutors told him that China believes the U.S. is wrong in "projecting despair," and believes more creative diplomatic solutions are needed (e.g., relying on a consortium in Russia). -------------- LEBANON: CHINA TO SEND MORE PEACEKEEPERS -------------- ¶5. (C) Kornbluth said that Gilad and he apologized on behalf of Israel for the killing of the Chinese UNTSO military observer (a lieutenant colonel) during Israel's war with Hizballah. Kornbluth and Gilad's interlocutors said that China is committed to the stabilization of Lebanon and to increasing the number of troops it will send to the peacekeeping force there. The Chinese parliament has approved the dispatch of 1,000; the actual number that will be sent will be based on the needs on the ground. ¶6. (C) The admiral asked that Israel conduct a special, joint assessment with China during this year to help China better define the force it will send to southern Lebanon. Gilad agreed to this. Kornbluth told poloff to anticipate an exchange and a report from him on its results. -------------- EXPORT CONTROLS: CHINA URGED TO DO BETTER -------------- ¶7. (C) The admiral said that China will increase its supervision over its export control mechanism. Gilad and Kornbluth complained that during Israel's war with Hizballah, an Israeli naval vessel was hit by a C-802 anti-ship missile supplied by China to Iran, and Israeli citizens were hit by cluster-tipped Katyusha rockets supplied by the Chinese. Gilad and Kornbluth acknowledged that China's export policy prohibits the export of weapons to terrorist groups, but urged China to do better to control its exports. Their Chinese interlocutors responded that (a) they only sell to Iran weaponry of a defensive nature; (b) China does not sell weapons to Hizballah; and (c) "The arms market is open. Whoever has money can obtain any weapons that they want." The Chinese MFA interlocutors said that they had not yet received any formal written request from the Israelis on the matter. Gilad said that he will prepare a paper for the Israeli ambassador to deliver to the MFA. -------------- -------------- CHINA-U.S. RELATIONS: CAN ISRAEL BUILD CONFIDENCE? -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Gilad's Chinese interlocutors reviewed the U.S.-China relationship, saying that cultivating a good relationship with the U.S. has been a central aim in recent months. China is satisfied that the U.S. is "adjusting to new developments in China." China feels that the momentum in the relationship is positive. Since the August 2005 Strategic Dialogue, China discerns considerable improvement in the relationship, as evidenced by the October 2005 visit to China of SECDEF Rumsfeld, and the July 2006 visit to the U.S. by the Chinese Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Military Committee. The Chinese interlocutors also mentioned (a) the participation of Chinese military observers in exercises in Guam in 2006; (b) Chinese participation in joint naval exercises near San Diego in 2006; and (c) joint naval exercises in September 2006 near PACOM headquarters. Kornbluth and Gilad's interlocutors said that the U.S. has formed a "strategy of containment" of China that allows expanded cooperation but, at the same time, does not destabilize China or the existing, "unipolar" global system. ¶9. (C) Kornbluth stressed that their Chinese interlocutors asked Israel to assist them in building confidence between China and the U.S., and to deliver a message that China is not threatening U.S. power, and that China's security policy is defensive in nature. -------------- -------------- CHINA'S VIEW OF NORTH KOREA: DIALOGUE MUST CONTINUE -------------- -------------- ¶10. (C) China regards North Korea as an independent, sovereign state. It is impossible to impose anything on it. China will not tolerate a North Korea that has a nuclear weapon capability. China believes, however, that the international community must stick to dialogue with North Korea. China objects to sanctions on North Korea, as in China's view, these will only cause future problems. (NOTE: The Israelis' visit took place before the North Korean nuclear test and passage of UNSCR 1718. END NOTE.) China sees itself as being very active in moderating North Korea, and instrumental in promoting North Korean dialogue with the international community. China admits that North Korea is a serious source of instability, but also believes that the U.S. sometimes contributes to the stalemate. In China's view, the U.S. has "not demonstrated initiative or creativity" in the Six Party Talks. -------------- - CHINA HOPES TO ENHANCE COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL -------------- - ¶11. (C) China appreciates its relationship with Israel, has respect for its rich culture and military capabilities, and is satisfied with the agricultural cooperation between the two countries. China is interested in resuming its security cooperation with Israel, and does not want a situation to develop wherein Israel has to choose between the U.S. and China. According to the Chinese officials, now is the time to resume Israeli-Chinese security cooperation due to the new relationship between China and the U.S. Kornbluth recounted that Gilad told his interlocutors that it is in Israel's interest to have a good relationship with China. That said, Gilad stressed that Israel has committed itself to various understandings with the U.S. Gilad said that while it is important for Israel to have strategic dialogues with China, "there are clear limitations" for Israel in terms of its military and security cooperation with China. Kornbluth and Gilad's interlocutors expressed understanding of the constraints Israel faces, but reiterated their hope that the future would allow for enhanced military and security cooperation between China and Israel. -------------- ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶12. (C) Kornbluth noted that the MOD is now debating the way ahead on military and security cooperation with China. For instance, there is thinking that their respective defense colleges could cooperate. Israel is also looking at military medical cooperation. Guiding Israel's thinking is the notion that any cooperation should be low profile, but also consistent with recognition that China is a major power. In light of this, Kornbluth said it would be helpful if the USG could share with Israel more information about USG activity with China in the military and security cooperation spheres. Kornbluth stressed that having a better picture of the scope and rationale of U.S.-China cooperation would help the MOD in reaching a decision on what is possible in terms of cooperation with China. (NOTE: Gilad is scheduled to meet with EAP Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary D. Kathleen Stephens on October 20 and would welcome acknowledgment of this request in that meeting. END NOTE.) ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** CRETZ