Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BEIJING2128
2008-06-03 05:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:
PRC REQUESTED TO HELP EASE BURMESE RESTRICTIONS ON
how-toVZCZCXRO9538 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHVC DE RUEHBJ #2128 1550507 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 030507Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7679 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 9612 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 4549 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0891 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 4040 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0687 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1953 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0621 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2007 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 002128
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS -- AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018
TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL CH
SUBJECT: PRC REQUESTED TO HELP EASE BURMESE RESTRICTIONS ON
CYCLONE AID
REF: STATE 59122
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 002128
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS -- AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018
TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL CH
SUBJECT: PRC REQUESTED TO HELP EASE BURMESE RESTRICTIONS ON
CYCLONE AID
REF: STATE 59122
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).
1. (C) POLOFF on June 3 delivered to MFA International
Organizations and Conferences Department UN Division Deputy
Director Sun Xiaobo and MFA Asian Department Burma, Laos,
Cambodia, and Vietnam Division Deputy Director Chen Chen
reftel points on the U.S. Government's concern over the
Burmese regime's restrictions on international aid to the
victims of Cyclone Nargis and the forcible return of storm
victims to devastated communities. POLOFF thanked Sun and
Chen for China's previous approaches to the Burmese
Government and urged China to press Burmese leaders further
to fulfill commitments to provide full access to bona fide
international aid workers made during the visit of UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
2. (C) Sun and Chen promised to relay U.S. views to senior
MFA officials. Sun noted that China's view is that, though
some bureaucratic problems may remain, Burma is making great
progress on implementing its commitments to allow access for
relief workers. Burma has now granted "dozens" of visas and
taken other steps to provide access. Sun, who attended the
May 25 UN-ASEAN Pledging Conference in Rangoon, said that
during (unspecified) meetings on the margins of the Pledging
Conference, NGO leaders indicated that access issues have
been largely resolved. Sun said China's view is that the
international community should applaud the Burmese regime for
progress rather than simply criticize mistakes. Such an
approach will be more conducive to building necessary trust,
Sun said.
3. (C) POLOFF replied that the U.S. view of the situation in
Burma is quite different from China's. POLOFF noted that
access to the Irrawaddy Delta, the area hardest hit by the
cyclone, is still severely restricted. The UN estimates that
less than half of the roughly 2.5 million victims have
received humanitarian assistance. Moreover, credible reports
indicate that storm victims in temporary shelters are being
forced to return to devastated communities, putting them at
renewed risk of disease and starvation. POLOFF reiterated
our strong hope that China can again urge the Burmese
Government to cooperate fully with international relief
efforts and cease forced returns. Neither Chen nor Sun
replied directly to the last point, but Sun noted that the
Trilateral Core Group has been established to coordinate
relief work and said the United States might find it useful
to pursue its concerns through that group.
PICCUTA
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS -- AARON COPE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018
TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL CH
SUBJECT: PRC REQUESTED TO HELP EASE BURMESE RESTRICTIONS ON
CYCLONE AID
REF: STATE 59122
Classified By: Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).
1. (C) POLOFF on June 3 delivered to MFA International
Organizations and Conferences Department UN Division Deputy
Director Sun Xiaobo and MFA Asian Department Burma, Laos,
Cambodia, and Vietnam Division Deputy Director Chen Chen
reftel points on the U.S. Government's concern over the
Burmese regime's restrictions on international aid to the
victims of Cyclone Nargis and the forcible return of storm
victims to devastated communities. POLOFF thanked Sun and
Chen for China's previous approaches to the Burmese
Government and urged China to press Burmese leaders further
to fulfill commitments to provide full access to bona fide
international aid workers made during the visit of UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
2. (C) Sun and Chen promised to relay U.S. views to senior
MFA officials. Sun noted that China's view is that, though
some bureaucratic problems may remain, Burma is making great
progress on implementing its commitments to allow access for
relief workers. Burma has now granted "dozens" of visas and
taken other steps to provide access. Sun, who attended the
May 25 UN-ASEAN Pledging Conference in Rangoon, said that
during (unspecified) meetings on the margins of the Pledging
Conference, NGO leaders indicated that access issues have
been largely resolved. Sun said China's view is that the
international community should applaud the Burmese regime for
progress rather than simply criticize mistakes. Such an
approach will be more conducive to building necessary trust,
Sun said.
3. (C) POLOFF replied that the U.S. view of the situation in
Burma is quite different from China's. POLOFF noted that
access to the Irrawaddy Delta, the area hardest hit by the
cyclone, is still severely restricted. The UN estimates that
less than half of the roughly 2.5 million victims have
received humanitarian assistance. Moreover, credible reports
indicate that storm victims in temporary shelters are being
forced to return to devastated communities, putting them at
renewed risk of disease and starvation. POLOFF reiterated
our strong hope that China can again urge the Burmese
Government to cooperate fully with international relief
efforts and cease forced returns. Neither Chen nor Sun
replied directly to the last point, but Sun noted that the
Trilateral Core Group has been established to coordinate
relief work and said the United States might find it useful
to pursue its concerns through that group.
PICCUTA