CHARGE PRESSES AFM HE TO BE FLEXIBLE ON P5-PLUS-1

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 006579 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2027 TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC CH IR SUBJECT: CHARGE PRESSES AFM HE TO BE FLEXIBLE ON P5-PLUS-1 MEETING REF: A. SECSTATE 140487 ¶B. EMBASSY BEIJING-EAP/CM EMAIL OF 10/10/2007 Classified By: Deputy Political Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Drawing on points in ref (A),Charge urged Assistant Foreign Minister (AFM) He Yafei on October 10 to remain constructively engaged on the P5-plus-1 process for dealing with Iran's nuclear program, and to attend the next Political Directors meeting. He also suggested that Beijing consider hosting a future P5-plus-1 meeting. Referencing AFM He's proposed date for a Political Directors meeting outlined in ref (B),Charge expressed his strong hope that AFM He would find a way to attend personally, urging him to send a senior replacement if the AFM were unable to do so. ¶2. (C) AFM He explained that he had already provided two alternatives that would allow him to attend a meeting in Europe: he could either cancel his October 16 meeting to make time for the event, or he could be available in Berlin on October 17 in the afternoon. He added that because the other Political Directors would be traveling within Europe to attend, he hoped for flexibility from them on the date and time. ¶3. (C) AFM He said China will consider the idea of hosting a P5-plus-1 meeting. He cautioned, however, that it is not a matter of Beijing being able to accommodate the meeting, but whether it is "a good idea now." Piccuta