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)

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SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
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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.

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BACKGROUND
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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
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.

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IRAN: NUCLEAR ARMED IRAN WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
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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).

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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.

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EXPORT CONTROLS: CHINA URGED TO DO BETTER
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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.

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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.

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CHINA'S VIEW OF NORTH KOREA: DIALOGUE MUST CONTINUE
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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.

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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.

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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.)

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