AFM CUI TIANKAI ATTEMPTS TO BROKER BETTER TIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 001484

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR EAID AF PK CH
SUBJECT: AFM CUI TIANKAI ATTEMPTS TO BROKER BETTER TIES
BETWEEN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

Classified By: External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan.
Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

Summary
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1. (C) Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai traveled
to Afghanistan and Pakistan February 6-9 in an effort
to broker better relations between the two countries
in light of recent tensions, according to an MFA
official. While in Afghanistan, Cui negotiated an
agreement to improve the security situation of Chinese
workers in Afghanistan, including the establishment of
a "hot line" between Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense
and the Chinese Embassy in Kabul as well as opening a
new line of communication between NATO and the Chinese
Embassy. Cui urged Afghanistan to practice "quiet
diplomacy" by keeping differences it has with Pakistan
out of the media. In a separate meeting,
Afghanistan's Ambassador to China told the DCM that
Cui was noncommittal in response to requests for PRC
assistance from the Afghan Government and from the
NATO's International Security Assistance Force Deputy
Commander. While in Pakistan, AFM Cui heard
complaints from Pakistan government officials that
Afghanistan needs to make greater contributions to
securing the border from extremist infiltrations.
End Summary.

Second Round of Consultations with Afghanistan
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2. (C) Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai traveled
to Afghanistan February 6-7 and Pakistan February 7-9
to encourage the two countries to cooperate more
closely on security issues and to hold bilateral
discussions. The main purpose of Cui's visit to these
two countries was to attempt to broker better
relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan in light of
the increasing tension between the two, MFA Asian
Department Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh
Division Deputy Director Zhao Lijian told poloff
during a March 2 meeting. Noting that he had been
part of the PRC delegation, Zhao said that Cui had met
with Vice President Ahmad Zia Masood, National
Security Advisor Zalamy Rassoul, Minister of Foreign
Affairs Rangin Dadfar Spanta and Minister of Defense
Abdul Rahim Wardak. This second round of diplomatic
consultations between China and Afghanistan followed
talks in 2005. During Cui's visit, Afghanistan's
Foreign Minister agreed to visit China in 2007.

Improving Security for Chinese Workers in Afghanistan
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3. (C) During AFM Cui's visit, China and Afghanistan
reached an agreement to improve the security afforded
to Chinese engineers and workers stationed in
Afghanistan. In June 2004 eleven workers were killed
in terrorists' attacks and in December 2006 Chinese
construction sites were attacked three times, Zhao
stated. Currently there are 500 Chinese employed in
reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Beijing can
not encourage Chinese companies to participate in
Afghanistan reconstruction projects if it places
Chinese citizens at risk, Zhao said. Under the
agreement, Beijing will provide detailed information
on the locations, number of employees and conditions
of its construction sites in Afghanistan. For its
part, Kabul will consider the location of Chinese
construction sites when deploying its security forces.
AFM Cui and Defense Minister Wardak agreed to
establish a "hot line" between China's military
attache stationed in Kabul and the Assistant Defense
Minister to be used when Chinese construction firms
are threatened or under attack by extremists. This
will strengthen the communication between China and
Afghanistan and will augment the already existent "hot
line" between Afghanistan's Ministry of the Interior
and the Chinese Embassy in Kabul.


4. (C) AFM Cui also met with NATO's International
Security Assistance Force Deputy Commander. AFM Cui
proposed that NATO and the Chinese Embassy establish a

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dialogue mechanism for security purposes and NATO
responded positively to the proposal, according to
Zhan. Ambassador Daan Everts, NATO's Senior Civilian
Representative to Afghanistan, has agreed to serve as
the NATO point of contact for the Chinese Embassy.
Zhao said that Everts and China's Ambassador have
since met to discuss this communication channel.

Afghanistan Should Use "Quiet Diplomacy" with Pakistan
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5. (C) AFM Cui praised the Afghanistan Government's
achievements in its reconstruction efforts and in
improving security in the country. Cui reminded Kabul
that both Afghanistan and Pakistan are victims of
terror and need to cooperate with each other to fight
terrorism in a more effective manner. Zhao said Cui
warned his Afghan interlocutors that fighting between
Afghanistan and Pakistan will only aid the terrorists.
He advised the Afghanistan government to communicate
better with Pakistan on bilateral issues, to use
"quiet diplomacy" and to avoid publicizing differences
in the media.

Afghanistan Believes Pakistan is Aiding the Taliban
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6. (C) Cui's Afghanistan interlocutors all delivered
the same message, according to Zhan, espousing that
Afghanistan is no threat to Pakistan and wants to
build "brotherly" relations. National Security
Advisor Rassoul complained to AFM Cui that he believes
Pakistan is helping the Taliban to regroup. Rassoul
claims that the Taliban has rebuilt training camps in
the Pashtun tribal areas and that the Taliban has
reconstructed its headquarters in Quetta. Rassoul
urged China to use its influence with Pakistan to get
Islamabad to do more to address the Taliban issue.
Afghanistan has great confidence in China because
among all of Afghanistan's neighbors it is the only
country never to have invaded Afghanistan, Zhao
stated.


7. (C) Cui replied that Pakistan is constrained in its
fight against terrorism because of its very large
Pashtun population. Pakistan has never had effective
control over the border region and this is a
historical problem that has existed for over 200
years. Cui told his interlocutors that China does
think the Pakistan government is aiding or supporting
the Taliban.

Afghanistan Requests Assistance From China
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8. (C) Afghanistan Ambassador to China Eklil Ahmad
Hakimi provided a brief readout to the DCM on February
12 on Cui's visit to Kabul. Hakimi said that Cui met
with NATO's International Security Assistance Force
Deputy Commander who asked Cui whether China would be
willing to contribute security assistance to ISAF in
Afghanistan. In a separate meeting, Afghanistan
Defense Minister Rahim Wardak also asked Cui for
Chinese assistance. Cui was noncommittal in response
to both requests, according to Hakimi.

Pakistan Wants Greater Afghan Participation
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9. (C) During his February 7-9 visit to Pakistan, Cui
met with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Foreign
Secretary Khurshid M. Kasuri and foreign ministry

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officials responsible for Asia and the Pacific, and
United Nations and Arms Control. Cui's Pakistan
interlocutors stated that Pakistan is trying to
improve communications with Afghanistan. Zhao said
that Pakistan officials did not deny that there are
people supportive of the Taliban in the border region
but strongly insisted that the government stands firm
in its fight against the Taliban. Prime Minister Aziz
told AFM Cui that Pakistan participates in the war
against terror not to please other countries but to
safeguard its own national interests and to prevent
the "Talibanization" of Pakistan. Cui's Pakistani

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interlocutors insisted that Islamabad and Kabul share
equally the responsibility for stopping Taliban
infiltrations into each other's territory. Currently,
Pakistan has 1000 manned posts along the border, while
Afghanistan has only 100 manned posts. Pakistan will
support the Afghanistan's Security Forces and the
International Security Assistance Force's efforts to
crush any Taliban offensive launched this spring.
Pakistan also insists that the international community
needs to provide Afghanistan with a substantial
economic program, similar to the Marshall Plan, and
needs to help Afghanistan build its security forces.
RANDT