CHINA URGED TO TERMINATE CONVENTIONAL ARMS

S E C R E T BEIJING 001882 NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2018 TAGS: PARM PREL CH IR SUBJECT: CHINA URGED TO TERMINATE CONVENTIONAL ARMS TRANSFERS TO IRAN REF: STATE 50524 Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4 (b),(c) and (d). ¶1. (S/NF) Beijing should take immediate action to terminate all weapons-related transfers to Iran and should insist that Tehran provide an accounting of all Chinese-origin weapons, PolOff urged in a discussion with MFA Arms Control and Disarmament Department Deputy Director Wang Daxue on May 15. PolOff shared with Wang two photographs of Chinese QW-1 MANPADS missiles seized in Basra, Iraq in April 2008. ¶2. (S/NF) Wang said he had received a copy of the photographs from the Chinese Embassy in Washington. China understands U.S. concerns and takes this issue seriously, he said. In response to U.S. and international concerns over the export of MANPADS, China tightened its export controls of these weapons. As Beijing has expressed to the United States in the past, Chinese cooperation with Iran is "limited" and accords with UN Security Council Resolution 1747, as well as with Chinese export control laws and regulations. UNSCR 1747 does not mandate an arms embargo on Iran, he said. China has requested that Iran not re-export Chinese-origin weapons to other countries or non-state actors. This request was recently repeated to Iranian authorities, who reiterated Tehran's "commitment" not to carry out such transfers, Wang stated. ¶3. (S/NF) Because Iran is an active state sponsor of terrorism and an irresponsible purchaser of military equipment, POLOFF said, Iranian end-use certificates and promises not to retransfer weapons to third-parties cannot be trusted. POLOFF again urged China to terminate all weapons-related transfers and technical assistance to Iran. RANDT NNNN End Cable Text