CHIA TO SEND DG TO P5-PLUS-1 MEETING, SEEKS U.S.

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 006845 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2027 TAGS: PREL PARM TBIO MNUC IR CH SUBJECT: CHIA TO SEND DG TO P5-PLUS-1 MEETING, SEEKS U.S. RESPONSE TO PRC COMMENTS ON ELEMENTS DRAFT REF: KENT-CARLSON EMAIL 10/25/2007 Classified By: Ambassador Clark T. Randt, for reasons 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Assistant Foreign Minister (AFM) He Yafei told the Ambassador October 25 that he was unavailable to attend the P5-plus-1 Political Directors meeting on the Iran nuclear issue proposed for November 2 in London. Instead, China would send MFA Arms Control Department Director General Zhang Yan, who will be prepared to "seriously engage" on the issue. AFM He reiterated China's concern with the language on financial sanctions in the elements draft and expressed hope that the United States would offer a response to these concerns at the upcoming meeting. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador and Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei met October 25 to discuss a range of topics reported septels. ¶3. (C) Drawing on talking points in ref e-mail, the Ambassador expressed our concern that AFM He would not personally attend the P5-plus-1 Political Directors meeting proposed for November 2 in London. The Ambassador noted that this was especially disappointing after AFM He cancelled his appearance at the last proposed meeting in Berlin October 17, and that the meeting was rescheduled for November 2 in London to accommodate AFM He's travel plans based on suggestions from Beijing that the end of October or beginning of November would be better for China's participation. The Ambassador pointedly recalled Foreign Minister Yang's promise to Secretary Rice that China would work with us and the other SIPDIS participating countries on this issue. DG Zhang Will Attend London Meeting -------------- ¶4. (C) Regarding China's late cancellation of the October 17 P5-plus-1 meeting in Berlin, AFM He replied, "You know why we couldn't make it," adding that there were "various reasons" for pulling out of the Berlin meeting. (Note: October 17 was the day the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington.) He added that on November 2, he would either still be in New York or be traveling back from New York, where he will be together with Politburo member and Beijing Party Secretary Liu Qi to participate in a consensus vote at UNGA to pass a resolution calling for a symbolic universal truce during the 2008 Olympic Games. ¶5. (C) AFM He said that the PRC will send MFA Arms Control and Disarmament Department Director General Zhang Yan to participate in the London meeting. Zhang, recently confirmed as the PRC's next Ambassador to India, AFM He noted, will be prepared to "seriously engage" in the upcoming meeting. ¶6. (C) AFM He noted that Iran's new nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, has met with EU negotiator Javier Solana, and the two will meet again at the end of November. PRC Hopes for Response to Comments on Elements Draft -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) Turning to the substance of the Political Directors meeting, AFM He said that China's concern with the draft resolution is focused on references to financial sanctions, adding that China has made this position clear in prior rounds of the process. AFM He expressed hope that the United States would come to London prepared to offer DG Zhang a response to China's concerns with the draft. Randt