PRC/MEPP: FM YANG EXPOUNDS ON CHINA'S PEACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 001198

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2029
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM MEPP CH IS SY EG IR
SUBJECT: PRC/MEPP: FM YANG EXPOUNDS ON CHINA'S PEACE
PROPOSAL WITH MIDDLE EAST LEADERS

Classified By: Minister Counselor for Political Affairs Aubrey Carlson.
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: During a five-day swing through the Middle
East, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi laid out China's
five-point plan for progress on the Middle East Peace Process
(MEPP),according to an MFA official. He conveyed to the new
Israeli government hopes expressed by Arab leaders that the
MEPP show progress as soon as possible. Our MFA contact said
the "main problem" was that the new government in Israel had
yet to form a clear position on the two-state solution. The
MFA official also said that Arab leaders in the region were
taking a wait-and-see attitude on possible changes in both
U.S. and Israeli policies on the issue. Despite the concerns
the Chinese heard from Arab leaders about the new Israeli
government, China believed that the MEPP faced a "new
opportunity." Beijing also believed that the "Middle East
problem" was not just the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but
included other issues in the region, and that resolution of
the Iran nuclear issue would be conducive to progress in the
MEPP. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) MFA West Asia and North Africa Department Director
General Song Aiguo briefed PolOff and EU diplomats April 30
on Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's April 21-26 travel to
Israel and the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Syria.
Yang met with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chairman of the Palestinian
Authority Mahmoud Abbas and President Bashar al-Assad of
Syria, as well as their respective Foreign Ministers or
equivalents and the Secretary-General of the Arab League in
Cairo.

China's Vision for a "Fundamental" Solution
--------------


3. (C) Song said that discussions of the Middle East Peace
Process (MEPP) dominated the conversations. He reported that
FM Yang had articulated China's five-point MEPP plan to the
leaders and told them that China believed that a
"fundamental" solution was a requirement for peace and
security in the region. Song outlined China's five-point
proposal as follows:

i. The relevant parties need to hold peace talks under
relevant UN resolutions, the land-for-peace deal, and the
Arab peace plan, and cannot seek a resolution through force.

ii. The two sides should take positive measures, including
implementing fully UNSC resolutions, sustaining the
cease-fire, opening Gaza border crossings, allowing
humanitarian aid to flow, stopping the construction of new
settlements, and stopping attacks on civilians.

iii. China calls for the early establishment of an
independent Palestinian state. Harmonious co-existence is
the only way forward, and the two states should enjoy "equal
rights."

iv. The international community should continue to pay
attention to the negative effects of the ongoing conflict on
the Palestinian economy and society.

v. Peace negotiations between Israel and Arab countries such
as Egypt, Syria and Lebanon should proceed in a "coordinated"
way and should seek solutions to unsettled issues such as
settlements and security.

Meetings with Arab Leaders
--------------


4. (C) Song stated that Arab leaders in the region
appreciated China's "positive, just and constructive"
position on the MEPP. He said that the Egyptians had
responded that they would try to promote peace talks and
would continue to push for reconciliation of the major
factions within the Palestinian leadership. Arab leaders had
told FM Yang that they were hopeful about the prospect of
U.S. policy "adjustments" in the region, but had expressed
concern over the new Israeli government. The Palestinian
side reportedly had expressed willingness to carry out
political negotiations for the establishment of a Palestinian
state and would work toward eliminating internal disputes.

China Sought Clarity from New Israeli Government
-------------- ---


5. (C) Song said that FM Yang had conveyed to Israel the
"strong will" of Arab leaders to show progress in the MEPP as
soon as possible. Song said that the Israeli side did not

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"deny the existence" of Palestine but declined to clearly
articulate the Israeli position on the two-state solution or
the Annapolis process. Song observed that major differences
between the two sides on the details of the MEPP were clear,
especially on the nature of a future state of Palestine,
adding that these differences have increased over time. In
China's view, Song said, the "main problem" was that the new
government in Israel had yet to form a clear position on the
two-state solution.

A New Opportunity for the MEPP?
--------------


6. (C) Nevertheless, Song claimed, China believed that the
MEPP faced a "new opportunity" and the international
community should continue to promote peace talks. China, he
claimed, was planning for the "next phase" of engagement with
the region on the MEPP and would continue to encourage
countries in the region to promote peace talks. According to
Song, "many parties" had told FM Yang during his visit that
there was a need for a 1-2 month "wait-and-see" period to see
how U.S. and Israeli policies on the issue developed.

Iran: Nuclear Issue Connected to the MEPP
--------------


7. (C) The Iranian nuclear issue had come up frequently
during FM Yang's meetings, Song claimed. He said that
Beijing believed that the "Middle East problem" was not a
single problem, that is, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
but was connected with other issues in the region. Song
reiterated China's position that Iran had a right to nuclear
power for civil purposes, but as an NPT member-state it also
had obligations and must not develop nuclear weapons. He
stressed that Iran should respond to the concerns of the
international community. China had been in contact with the
Iranian side, Song added, and had urged Tehran to cooperate
with the international community through the E3-plus-3. Song
said that a resolution to the Iran nuclear issue would be
conducive to progress in the MEPP.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) After cultivating better relations with Israel in
recent years with the goal of improving economic ties,
particularly in high-tech fields, FM Yang's recent visit may
have been partly calculated to demonstrate to Arab leaders
that China has not entirely abandoned its historic position
of leaning toward the Arab cause in the Middle East conflict.
Despite Beijing's attempt to show strong engagement on the
MEPP by putting forward a "comprehensive" solution, the lack
of specificity of the plan and China's inability to push it
forward meaningfully only serve to illuminate its
less-than-leading role in the region.

PICCUTA