HUMAN RIGHTS: MFA VIEWS ON RESUMING HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000717

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM, DRL
NSC FOR WILDER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2033
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV CH
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS: MFA VIEWS ON RESUMING HUMAN RIGHTS
DIALOGUE

REF: USDEL SECRETARY ASIA 002

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.
4 (b) and (d).

Summary
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1. (C) MFA IO Human Rights Division Deputy Director Zhao Xing
told PolOffs February 28 that he was pleased by prospects to
resume formal human rights dialogue. China proposes holding
the next dialogue meeting in Beijing, at the DRL A/S and IO
DG level, which Zhao said follows the pattern set before
dialogue was suspended. The Chinese side is open to meeting
at any time, including before the Olympics in August and is
prepared for dialogue based on principles of "equality and
mutual respect" but would not welcome "naming and shaming."
End Summary.

MFA Official Pleased Dialogue May Resume
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2. (C) During a February 28 meeting to explore Foreign
Minister Yang's February 26 offer in principle to resume
formal bilateral human rights dialogue (reftel),MFA IO
Department Human Rights Division Deputy Director Zhao Xing
said that he was pleased to hear about the possibility of
resuming the dialogue. Zhao said the United States and China
should first agree on the level at which dialogue should take
place, before discussing timing and other issues. China
proposes dialogue led by the DRL Assistant Secretary and te
MFA IO Director General, currently Wu Hailog. Zhao
acknowledged that DRL Assistant Secretary Lowenkron saw AFM
Cui Tiankai in 2006 but claimed that this was merely a
meeting, whereas the IO DG had actually led China's
participation in dialogue rounds prior to the suspension of
dialogue in 2003.


3. (C) Until there is agreement on the level of dialogue,
Zhao said, it is "too early to fix a time for dialogue," but
China is open to hearing a U.S. proposal. Dialogue might
proceed at any time up through June, Zhao said, after which
time the August Olympics could impact scheduling. Given the
obligations of senior Chinese officials in the lead-up to the
Olympics and in connection with ASEAN summit meetings in
October, Zhao said China would want to host the next round of
dialogue in Beijing.

China Prepared for Dialogue Based on "Equality and Mutual
Respect"
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4. (C) Zhao said China is ready to engage in dialogue based
on principles of "equality and mutual respect" and without
preconditions. The opportunity is ripe for "open, frank and
fruitful dialogue" on issues, including rule of law and legal
reform. Zhao expressed a desire to follow the dialogue
format used in PRC dialogues with Australia, Norway and the
EU, wherein discussion focuses on larger issues and the
sharing of "relevant experience." U.S.-China human rights
dialogue should cover traditional bilateral human rights
issues but could also focus on matters such as cooperation
between the two countries in U.N. fora, activities
commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and, potentially, Darfur. Zhao
said he hopes the United States will take a seat on the UNHRC
and work with China in that forum.


5. (C) Zhao said "we will know if the resumption in dialogue
is successful" when the United States and China decide
whether to continue with dialogue after the next round. Zhao
said he hopes that dialogue, if restored, will avoid the
practice of past dialogue rounds, where the United States
conditioned participation in successive rounds on China's
fulfillment of U.S. requests in prior rounds. "Our
suggestion," he said, is that dialogue move forward without
"preconditions." Dialogue will be of little use if the focus
is on "naming and shaming" or trading accusations, Zhao said.
Zhao conceded that the raising of cases necessarily would be
part of the dialogue, but said he hopes this will not be "the
main focus" of discussion.


6. (C) China has "no special reason" for resuming bilateral
dialogue at the current time, Zhao said. Instead, China has
"always been quite positive" about dialogue, but U.S.
"behavior" prevented resumption. The atmosphere for resuming
dialogue was not positive, for example, after President
Bush's June 2007 meeting with Rebiya Kadeer, the June 2007

BEIJING 00000717 002 OF 002


Victims of Communism Memorial dedication ceremony and the
President's October 2007 meeting with the Dalai Lama.

MFA IO Human Rights Division Personnel Changes
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7. (C) Zhao said he will leave the MFA IO Human Rights
Division within days to take a position in the political
section at China's Embassy to the Netherlands. Zhao, who
said he has been working on human rights issues since 1998,
said he is "very happy" to take on a new line of work. MFA
IO Human Rights official Xu Jing will be promoted to Deputy
Director of the Division. Zhao said the new MFA IO Human
Rights Division Director set to replace Dong Zhihua will
arrive in "two or three days." Zhao would not name Dong's
successor but said he or she will certainly "be a person who
has experience with human rights work." (Note: Duihua
Foundation head John Kamm -- please protect -- recently told
PolOff that Li Baodong protege and former MFA IO Human Rights
official Yan Jiarong is slated to become Human Rights
Division Director.)
RANDT