PRC WILL ATTEND SEPTEMBER 16-18 ARF DISASTER

UNCLAS BEIJING 002454 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM AND EAP/RSP - KEVIN SHEIVES E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ARF EAID MARR CH SUBJECT: PRC WILL ATTEND SEPTEMBER 16-18 ARF DISASTER RELIEF DIALOGUE REF: STATE 86139 ¶1. (U) China will send a five-person delegation to participate in the ninth annual ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-Sessional Meeting on Disaster Relief (ARF ISM-DR) in Honolulu, Hawaii, on September 16-18, MFA Asian Affairs Department Asian Multilateral Security Division Deputy Director Zuo Wenxing told POLOFF August 24 in response to reftel points inviting Chinese participation. Zuo added that the PRC delegation would be led by PLA senior Colonel Zhao Bao and likely include three representatives from the Ministry of National Defense, one representative from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and one representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The composition of the PRC delegation would enable Chinese participation in all five of the break-out groups on the agenda, according to Zuo. Zuo said she would submit delegate registration forms for each of the PRC representatives directly to EAP/RSP Kevin Sheives once the Chinese delegation was finalized. HUNTSMAN