CHINA AGREES TO CO-SPONSOR ARF NONPROLIFERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 001314 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/RSP, EAP/CM AND ISN/RA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017 TAGS: PREL KNNP ARF CH SUBJECT: CHINA AGREES TO CO-SPONSOR ARF NONPROLIFERATION INTERSESSIONAL REF: A. STATE 13856 ¶B. BEIJING 861 Classified By: Acting Political External Unit Chief Mark Tesone. Reaso ns 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) China has agreed to the United States' proposal (reftels) to hold an intersessional meeting on nonproliferation in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF),Asia Department Deputy Director Tan Qinsheng said. China increasingly values ARF as the pre-eminent organization for discussing security issues in the Asia-Pacific region and has always taken a strong interest in expanding the ARF's work on non-traditional security issues, Tan told Poloff February 28. He said all concerned MFA Departments have agreed to China's co-sponsorship of the initiative, including the Arms Control and Disarmament Department, which reportedly blocked past U.S.-China non-proliferation cooperation in ARF. ¶2. (C) China urges the United States to consult broadly with other ARF members and build consensus prior to the late March ARF meeting in Helsinki, at which the proposal for a non-proliferation intersessional will be put forward, Tan said. Asia Department Director for Multilateral Security Affairs Ma Jia will likely lead the Chinese delegation at the Helsinki meeting, he said. RANDT