JULY 8 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS, DALAI LAMA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 002666 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KOLY PHUM KIRF KS KN JP SU CH SUBJECT: JULY 8 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: SIX-PARTY TALKS, DALAI LAMA TALKS, HUMAN RIGHTS, OLYMPICS, XINJIANG MOSQUE, AID TO DPRK, SUDAN ¶1. Key points at the July 8 MFA press briefing were: -- A Six Party Talks Heads of Delegation meeting will convene on July 10, as will both the Denuclearization and the Energy and Economic Cooperation Working Groups. -- China protects human rights and freedom because that commitment is enshrined in the PRC constitution, not because China is holding the Olympic Games. -- The development of China will not be hindered and the Beijing Olympic Games will be a success; criticism will only encourage the Chinese people to make China better. -- Foreign political leaders will be invited to the Games by the Olympic Committees of their own countries and China is ready to facilitate their attendance. -- A mosque reportedly torn down in Xinjiang for not supporting the Olympics was "not a mosque," but rather an "illegal construction," which "peasants and herdsmen" built for personal religious use on land intended for agricultural use. Six-Party Talks Announced -------------- ¶2. At the July 8, 2008, regular MFA press briefing, MFA Spokesman Qin Gang announced that a Six-Party Talks Heads of Delegation meeting will convene on July 10 with the purpose of discussing the further implementation of the "Second Phase actions," and that both the Denuclearization and the Energy and Economic Cooperation Working Groups will also meet. Qin said that the Talks are scheduled to last three days, but that the Six Parties and the "progress of the Talks" will determine the actual length. The Six Parties and the progress of the Talks will also determine whether or not a joint document or agreement will be signed, said Qin. No Information on Dalai Lama Talks -------------- ¶3. "Competent parties" in the Chinese Government have "introduced and elaborated" on the results of the "contact," between the representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials. He asked reporters to refer further questions to the "competent authorities" because the MFA is not in charge of this matter. China's Commitment to Human Rights Not New -------------- ¶4. Asked about foreign groups urging China to improve its human rights record before the Olympics, Qin responded with three points. First, China's devotion to the protection of human rights and freedom is enshrined in the PRC constitution and China is committed to improving social progress and to a just, fair and harmonious society under the rule of law. Second, China is not committed to improving human rights because it is holding the Olympic Games; rather, China has been committed to human rights since the founding of the PRC and will continue to be so in the future. China's development will not be measured or decided by some other organization and the Chinese people have the biggest say in China's human rights situation. Third, "some forces" do not want to see the development of China, said the spokesman. "Hostile Forces" Threatening the Olympics -------------- ¶5. In the past several years, some organizations or people in the world have exposed their true motives fully, said Qin when asked which specific "hostile forces" pose threats to the Olympics Games. "If the forest is big enough, certain kinds of birds will be found," and the Chinese people and Government are used to those who fear and criticize China's development, stated Qin. The development of China will not be hindered and the Beijing Olympic Games will be a success. Criticism will only encourage the Chinese people to make China better and better. Foreign Leaders at the Opening Ceremony -------------- ¶6. Foreign political leaders will be invited to the Games by the Olympic Committees of their own countries and China is ready to facilitate their attendance, stated Qin. However, their daily activities will not be determined by the Chinese Government. Asked for comment on President Bush's decision to attend the Opening Ceremony, Qin said that all foreign leaders, not just President Bush, are welcome to attend and China will provide assistance for their activities and attendance. "Illegal Structure," Not "Mosque," Removed in Xinjiang -------------- -------------- BEIJING 00002666 002 OF 002 ¶7. In response to a question from the China Daily, Qin said reports of a mosque being torn down in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region's Aksu Prefecture for not supporting the Beijing Olympics are "not in line with the facts." The spokesman told reporters that he "double-checked with the relevant authorities," and found that some "peasants and herdsmen" in Keping County, Aksu, "made a construction" for personal religious use on land intended for agricultural use, thus making the construction illegal. After the local department for management of land resources explained to them this illegality, the "peasants and herdsmen" themselves "removed" the construction. The building in question was "not a mosque," but rather an "illegal construction." Qin held that the local authorities did not detain anyone, nor did they confiscate any illegal articles. Chinese Aid to the DPRK -------------- ¶8. China supports the DPRK in its efforts to improve people's lives and China has offered assistance to help the DPRK in this capacity, said Qin when asked about Chinese shipments of fuel and cash to North Korea. Qin claimed that reports cited by the reporter were not accurate. China and the DPRK are friendly neighbors and their relations have enjoyed development on the basis of equality and mutual respect, he added. Sudan -------------- ¶9. In response to a reporter's question, Qin said that Chinese peacekeeping engineering units will be fully deployed in Darfur in mid-July, and that the MFA is currently contacting relevant departments to organize a reporting trip to the region for foreign journalists. RANDT