POTUS VISIT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES PREPARATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 003010

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2033
TAGS: PREL KOLY CH TW
SUBJECT: POTUS VISIT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES PREPARATIONS
WITH VFM ZHANG YESUI

REF: BEIJING 2990

Classified By: Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) During an August 4 meeting with Vice Foreign Minister
Zhang Yesui (other topics reported septels),Ambassador Randt
raised U.S. concerns over several outstanding issues
regarding the President's upcoming visit to Beijing, leaving
behind a non-paper (below). While thanking VFM Zhang for the
progress that had been made this past weekend, the Ambassador
noted that we nevertheless still require resolution of
several issues, including credentials and tickets for certain
members of the President's party and staff, as well as access
by the White House Advance Team to the Zhongnanhai Leadership
Compound. The Ambassador reiterated our requests for full
guest lists and seating charts for the events in which the
President will participate, and he stressed the importance of
being provided a sufficient number of vehicle access and
parking passes (VAPPs) to support the President's movements
in Beijing.


2. (C) VFM Zhang pledged to convey U.S. requests to BOCOG's
"VIP reception center" as well as appropriate MFA protocol
staff. President Hu Jintao and the Chinese Government attach
great importance to President Bush's visit, VFM Zhang stated.
In fact, China is providing the "most conveniences" and
"exceptions" to President Bush's delegation, causing China to
come under pressure and criticism for being unable to provide
similar arrangements to other visiting dignitaries. VMF
Zhang said he therefore hopes that, if China is unable to
meet each and every U.S. requirement, that the U.S. side will
"understand" and "appreciate China's difficulty" in receiving
so many foreign VIPs during the Olympics. Regardless, the
United States can trust China to do its "utmost" to meet U.S.
requests, VFM Zhang asserted.


3. (SBU) Below is the list of "urgent outstanding issues"
that the Ambassador raised with VFM Zhang and left as a
non-paper:

BEGIN NON-PAPER

Urgent Outstanding Issues
Regarding President Bush's Visit to China
August 4, 2008

-- Credentials / Tickets: We now have 12 credentials for the
President's family and close friends. But we stillrequire
credentials/tickets for another 10 seior White House staff
at various Olympic evens. In addition, 53 essential staff
members and 76 United States Secret Service personnel requre
all-access credentialing. 13 site officers need access to a
specific venue only, many of whom will need to enter the
sites in advance of the events. All of these personnel must
be allowed to enter the sites to support the President and
ensure his safety. All of these lists have already been
submitted both to the MFA and BOCOG.

-- Access to Venues: We have completed site surveys to all
venues except for Zhongnanhai. We ask that you please
arrange a site survey as soon as possible to this last
remaining site.

-- Guest Lists/Seating Charts: We still require guest
lists/seating charts for the official events the President
will participate in. As the President told Foreign Minister
Yang at the White House on July 29, President Bush's
attendance at the August 8 leaders luncheon hosted by
President Hu is contingent upon his reviewing the guest
list/seating chart. We would also like to know the seating
and protocol arrangements at the Olympics opening ceremony.
In addition, we have no information on Chinese participants
for all the events on August 10 (President Hu bilat,
President Hu lunch, Premier Wen meeting, Vice President Xi
meeting). We have submitted U.S. participants lists for all
events.

-- VAPPs: We require sufficient Vehicle Access and Parking
Passes (VAPPs) to Olympic venues, to facilitate not only the
President's motorcades but also other transportation
requirements in support of the President. We have reduced
our VAPP request from 150 to 67.

END NON-PAPER.
RANDT