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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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