Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BEIJING6845
2007-10-25 10:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:
CHIA TO SEND DG TO P5-PLUS-1 MEETING, SEEKS U.S.
how-toVZCZCXRO9048 OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC DE RUEHBJ #6845 2981039 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 251039Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3070 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1624 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3210 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 8826 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 4186 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
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).
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
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