DG LIU JIEYI WARNS CDA ON SERIOUSNESS OF ANN DAUB

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 007137 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR L/ESA MARY MCLEOD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2027 TAGS: PREL PGOV CJAN CH SUBJECT: DG LIU JIEYI WARNS CDA ON SERIOUSNESS OF ANN DAUB CASE REF: EAP/CM NIGHT NOTE OF NOVEMBER 15 Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Dan Piccuta. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) MFA North American and Oceanian Affairs Director General Liu Jieyi presented the same points to CDA as in DCM Zheng Zeguang's November 15 demarche to DAS Christensen (see ref) regarding the escalation of the Ann C. Daub Case. DG Liu emphasized that it is the responsibility of the United States to ensure Chinese Government and Consulate General property in the United States is "safe and inviolable" and asked that the United States take "immediate and effective measures" to fulfill this responsibility. ¶2. (C) The CDA assured DG Liu that the United States takes this matter seriously and reiterated advice that China hire private counsel to represent its interests before the U.S. court. DAS Christensen has already requested that State Department lawyers study the matter further and determine what protection the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act permits, said the CDA. The CDA added our intention to bring the MFA the relevant information "in a real-time way." PICCUTA