Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ADDISABABA277
2009-02-03 11:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Addis Ababa
Cable title:  

AU SUMMIT: AF ACTING A/S CARTER MEETS WITH CHINESE

Tags:  PREL PGOV AU SU CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0487
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 3240
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7701
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 000277 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV AU SU CH
SUBJECT: AU SUMMIT: AF ACTING A/S CARTER MEETS WITH CHINESE
DIPLOMAT ZHAI JUN

Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 000277

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/SPG, AF/RSA, AND IO/UNP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV AU SU CH
SUBJECT: AU SUMMIT: AF ACTING A/S CARTER MEETS WITH CHINESE
DIPLOMAT ZHAI JUN

Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary: On January 30, AF Acting Assistant Secretary
Phillip Carter met with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister
for Africa Zhai Jun on the margins of the AU Summit. Zhai
was chiefly interested in trying to talk the United States
out of its stated opposition to a UN Security Council Article
XVI deferral of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
indictment of Sudanese President Bashir. Carter explained
that the responsibility to change words into action lies with
the Sudanese government. End Summary.


2. (C) Zhai, speaking through an interpreter, opened the
meeting by noting that while Africa is for the most part
experiencing a positive renewal, challenges remain. These
include not only political violence in Kenya and Zimbabwe and
military coups in Mauritania and Guinea, but energy and food
security and the effects on Africa of the global financial
crisis. He noted that he had worked extensively with the
Bush Administration on Africa and was looking forward to
continuing this close relationship, working together to
promote development and stability in Africa, with the Obama
Administration.


3. (C) Carter said that while there will be inevitable
adjustments, the Obama Administration can be expected to
continue the general commitment towards Africa which has
characterized the previous Administrations, and looks forward
to working with China to promote transparency, good
governance, and stability in Africa. The USG shares China's
concerns on global issues such as responsible resource
management, addressing food insecurity, and economic reform
in Africa.


4. (C) In response to Carter's question about the potential
for future cooperation on health and agriculture in Liberia,
Ethiopia, and Ghana which was raised in an October 2008
meeting in Beijing, Zhai responded that the best approach
would be to instruct Ambassadors resident in those countries
to compare notes and come up with ideas, then have them
report back respectively to Washington and Beijing. When
Carter thanked Zhai for providing Chinese naval escorts off
the coast of Somalia and asked him about the possibility of
cooperation with the United States and other nations on
Combined Task force 150, Zhai noted that China had
participated in the Contact Group in New York and believed
that this was a good forum to explore future cooperation to
combat piracy, including information sharing and personnel
exchanges. He also stated that ship escorts are really just
attacking the symptom. However, in order to combat the
disease, a land solution is required. Carter strongly agreed.


5. (C) Turning to Sudan, Zhai said that the ICC arrest
warrant for President Bashir could be issued as early as the
first week of February. This will not be helpful to Darfur,
the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South, or
general elections. Sudan is on fire -- you need water, not
oil, to put out a fire. Zhai noted that China has sent
peacekeeping troops to Darfur and has encouraged cooperation
on UNAMID deployment, and Zhai said he had met personally
with Bashir on numerous occasions in an effort to get him to
cooperate. He asked the United States to "at least not
openly support the ICC," and said that the permanent member
of the UN Security Council should have a clear understanding
of the consequences of an ICC indictment. He said further
that he had already met with many African ministers in Addis,
and many were furious with the ICC indictment.


6. (C) Carter thanked Zhai for China's efforts to encourage a
measured, prudent response to an eventual ICC indictment of
Bashir, noting that the USG is delivering a similar message.
He encouraged China to press Sudan to commit to a universal
cease-fire and a functioning UN monitoring mechanism, as well
as to have China push Sudan to develop a proposal amenable to
the rebel movements for a political settlement on Darfur.
Carter urged China to engage the US, UK, and France in the
UNSC to develop a common view and approach to the question of
Sudan and the need of the Sudanese government to meet its
obligations in resolving the Darfur crisis and implementing
the CPA as well. Zhai indicated that his government would
work with the P5 towards this objective. Regarding the ICC
arrest warrant, Carter noted that nothing had really changed
on the ground in Darfur to move the USG from its stated

ADDIS ABAB 00000277 002 OF 002


position not to support a deferral by the UNSC. Carter
concluded by noting that at this point for Bashir and the
Government of Sudan, actions are more important than words.


7. (U) A/S Carter reviewed a copy of this message before
departing post.
YAMAMOTO