APRIL 21 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: UN CONFERENCE ON RACISM,

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SUBJECT: APRIL 21 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: UN CONFERENCE ON RACISM,
CLIMATE CHANGE, ETIM, SOMALIA, RUSSIA, JAPAN


1. Key points at the April 21 MFA press briefing:

-- China "regrets to see some countries did not attend" the UN
Conference on Racism.

-- China is ready to play a constructive role in the Middle East and
hopes relevant parties follow UN resolutions and use diplomacy to
achieve "the peaceful coexistence of two nations."

-- China hopes the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting in Italy and
Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate in Washington, DC will
"send a positive signal" regarding the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change.

-- The Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) poses a great
threat to the stability and security of China and other countries in
the region.

-- The Yasukuni shrine is "a major sensitive issue in China-Japan
relations" and Japanese leaders should "properly and prudently
handle relations."

-- China and Russia have made substantial progress on energy
agreements.

UN Conference on Racism
--------------


2. China regrets to see some countries did not attend the UN
Conference on Racism, said MFA spokesperson Jiang Yu at the April 21
regularly scheduled MFA press briefing. She said that China
attached great importance to the conference and that China's
delegation headed by Ambassador Li Baodong had taken an active part
in the conference. China hoped that relevant parties could "step up
dialogue" and promote a "zero-tolerance policy" to combat racism.
Asked about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the
conference, Jiang declined to comment.

Travel to Tibet
--------------


3. Asked about local government restrictions on journalists' travel
to Tibet, Jiang said local authorities "have reasons to take such
measures." She said China's policy of openness in Tibet has not
changed, noting that local authorities had facilitated journalists'
travel to the region in the past. The MFA was working with local
authorities to organize a trip for journalists to the areas affected
by the Sichuan earthquake, said Jiang.

FM Yang's Trip to the Middle East and Russia
--------------


4. Responding to a question about Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's
April 21-27 trip to Egypt, the Palestine Territories, Israel, Syria
and Russia, Jiang said FM Yang would meet with his counterparts to
exchange views on issues of concern. China is ready to play a
constructive role in the Middle East and hopes relevant parties
follow UN resolutions and use diplomacy to achieve "the peaceful
coexistence of two nations."

Climate Change
--------------


5. Jiang said National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)
Vice Chairman Xie Zhenghua would attend the G8 Environment Ministers
Meeting in Italy before traveling to Washington, DC to attend the
Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. Jiang said the two
meetings were not negotiations on substantive matters but rather an
opportunity to strengthen cooperation on climate change. China
hoped the meetings would "send a positive signal" regarding the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change and contribute to the
conference on climate change in Copenhagen later this year.

ETIM
--------------


6. In response to a question about the U.S. Department of Treasury
designation of Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) leader
Abdul Haq, Jiang said ETIM was a terrorist organization that
recruited and trained terrorists and plotted and carried out

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terrorist attacks. ETIM "poses a great threat to the stability and
security of China and other countries in the region," and combating
ETIM is an important part of international counterterrorism
efforts.

Energy Agreement with Russia
--------------


7. Jiang said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin signed an
intergovernmental agreement on energy cooperation during his April
20-21 visit to Beijing. Noting "substantial progress has been made
on energy agreements," Jiang said China was ready to work with
Russia to further cooperation.

Yasukuni Shrine
--------------


8. Asked about Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's sending an
offering to the Yasukuni shrine, Jiang said the shrine was "a major
sensitive issue in China-Japan relations," noting that Japanese
leaders should "properly and prudently handle relations."

Somalia
--------------


9. Jiang said China would send a senior diplomat to attend the
Somalia donors conference in Brussels. Jiang expressed hoped that
the conference would contribute to efforts to combat piracy, noting
that "attention should be paid to the root causes of piracy."

IAEA
--------------


10. Responding to a question about the IAEA International
Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Energy, Jiang said IAEA Director
General Mohamed ElBaradei and OECD Secretary General Angel Guria
attended the conference and met today with Vice Foreign Minister He
Yafei.
PICCUTA