MFA ARMS CONTROL DG ON IRAN AND SOUTH ASIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 001110

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2034
TAGS: PREL PARM ENRG PTER MNUC IR CH PK AF
SUBJECT: MFA ARMS CONTROL DG ON IRAN AND SOUTH ASIA

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson.
Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Iran remained suspicious of U.S. intentions,
but the new approach by the United States and the E3-plus-3
was the best way forward on the nuclear issue, MFA Arms
Control and Disarmament Department Director General Cheng
Jingye told A/DCM April 24. China had engaged Tehran "at
different levels and in different places" to urge the
Iranians to respond positively to the E3-plus-3 invitation to
meet, and Tehran "got the message," Cheng reported. China
believed the freeze-for-freeze proposal represented a good
starting point for restarting talks, and that progress on the
nuclear issue was "closely related" to enhancing bilatera
contacts between the United States and Iran, Cheng said. A
strong, stable government in Pakistan was the best way to
deal with terrorism and defeat al-Qaeda, Cheng said. In
Afghanistan, the Taliban needed to be influenced "internally"
through dialogue with its moderate elements, Cheng said. END
SUMMARY.

E3-plus-3 Approach Positive, but Iranians Suspicious
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2. (C) MFA Arms Control and Disarmament Department Director
General Cheng Jingye told A/DCM April 24 that the new U.S.
approach to Iran was "constructive," noting that China had
encouraged the United States in the past to take up direct
talks with Tehran. He said the new approach, while not
guaranteeing success, was an important step for making
progress on the Iran nuclear issue. He stressed that the
Iranians were still suspicious of U.S. intentions and had
expressed concern that the United States might have changed
tactics but not its underlying strategy. The outcome of the
April 8 meeting in London of the E3-plus-3 "should help Iran
make the right choice," Cheng said.

Urging Iran to Respond Positively to E3-plus-3 Offer
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3. (C) The A/DCM urged Cheng to use China's influence to
persuade Iran to respond positively to the E3-plus-3 offer to
meet. Since the London meeting, Cheng said, China had
engaged Tehran "at different levels and in different places"
to urge the Iranians to respond positively to the invitation,
and he believed the Iranian leadership "got the message."

Freeze-for-Freeze the Starting Point
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4. (C) China believed the freeze-for-freeze proposal
represented a good basis to restart dialogue with Tehran,
Cheng said, and the E3-plus-3 currently had a unified
position with a "clear understanding" that new unilateral
sanctions would not be taken up during the current phase. He
said that China believed that the nuclear issue was "closely
related" to bilateral contact between the United States and
Iran, and that even incremental progress on bilateral contact
would help with the nuclear issue.

Af/Pak
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5. (C) DG Cheng stressed the need for a strong, stable
government in Islamabad and said that the international
community had to demonstrate political and economic support
for Pakistan. He indicated that a strong government in
Pakistan was the best way to address U.S. concerns such as
counter-terrorism and defeating al-Qaeda. On Afghanistan,
Cheng said the Taliban needed to be influenced "internally"
through dialogue with its moderate elements in order to
prevent the more radical elements from consolidating power.
PICCUTA