RUSSIAN EMBOFFS EXPRESS SATISFACTION WITH CHINA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 003335 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2028 TAGS: PREL MARR UNGA RS CH GG SUBJECT: RUSSIAN EMBOFFS EXPRESS SATISFACTION WITH CHINA'S RESPONSE TO RUSSIA-GEORGIA CONFLICT Classified By: Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) In separate meetings August 27 and August 28 with PolOff, two Russian Embassy Officers said they are "quite satisfied" with China's response to the Russia-Georgia conflict. Russian Embassy Officers Andrey Chernyshov and Denis Agafonov both expressed satisfaction with China's unwillingness to support publicly Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. ¶2. (C) Agafonov argued that, given the importance that China places on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, China's lack of public support for Georgia is a significant sign of support for the Russian position. Agafonov claimed that President Hu Jintao's statement of support for Russia's hosting of the 2014 Winter Olympics is the "Chinese way" of showing support for Russia's actions in Georgia. Agafonov, acknowledging that China is in a difficult position on this issue and wants to maintain good relations with the United States, said he does not expect China to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia. However, he expressed belief that China's position on this issue is closer to the Russian position than it is to the U.S. position. He also claimed that in response to Russian Embassy representations to the MFA, Chinese officials' "private expressions" of support have gone "beyond their public statements." ¶3. (C) Chernyshov expressed appreciation for China's cautious approach to dealing with the conflict and takes China's relative silence on the issue as a sign of Chinese support for Russia. In discussing the EU's position on the conflict, Chernyshov mentioned the importance of Russian energy supplies to Europe and suggested that certain European countries should "wait for winter." RANDT