NATO DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL IN BEIJING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 003113 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR ISN, EAP/RSP, EAP/CM PACOM FOR FPA PICCUTA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2024 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MASS MNUC PHSA MOPS AF PK IR NK, CH SUBJECT: NATO DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL IN BEIJING Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reason 1.4 (a and d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In Beijing November 9-12 for the NATO-China dialogue, NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero briefed the Chinese on NATO's New Strategic Concept effort, operations in Afghanistan, and relations with Russia, Central Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Asia-Pacific nations. Bisogniero told NATO member embassy representatives November 11 that his discussions with the Chinese also covered North Korea, Iran, South Asia, counter-piracy, nonproliferation, peacekeeping and mil-mil exchanges. According to Bisogniero, the Chinese were positive toward increased China-NATO relations, counter-piracy cooperation, and ISAF promotion of stability in Afghanistan, and said they would study proposed increased NATO-China mil-mil exchanges. End Summary. NATO-China Dialogue -------------- ¶2. (C) NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero briefed NATO member embassy representatives in Beijing November 11 on his consultations with PRC officials and the latest round of the NATO-China dialogue. He noted that the dialogue had begun in 2002 and had previously been conducted at the Director General level. This was the first time the dialogue had been held in Beijing, and he noted that the raised level of the dialogue (to the DepSecGen-VFM level) had been a PRC suggestion. His main interlocutor was VFM Zhang Zhijun (responsible for Europe, Information, and Translation and Interpretation departments),but he also met with Chinese Communist Party Central Committee International Liaison Department (CCID) Vice Minister Liu Jieyi. Bisogniero invited FM Yang to visit NATO headquarters in Brussels and invited China to send a delegation to a December 10-11 Warsaw meeting on nonproliferation and arms control. Bisogniero reported that during the dialogue, China made clear that China wants increased China-NATO relations; there were positive possibilities for improved China-NATO cooperation in counter-piracy operations; and the MFA would consult with MND on proposed China-NATO mil-mil exchanges such as NATO-China staff talks and military educational exchanges. New Strategic Concept -------------- �A; ¶3. (C) Bisogniero shared the agenda for the dialogue as well as his speech at the MFA-affiliated Chinese Institute for International Studies (CIIS) (both sent to EAP/CM). He said the Chinese were very interested in NATO's New Strategic Concept, which was still being drafted, and had asked whether it reflected "lessons learned in Afghanistan." Asked by one of the gathered Embassy reps whether the new Concept addressed China, Bisogneiro said no, not to date, but that in view of the PRC military's increasing "expeditionary capability" and international presence in the Horn of Africa conducting counter-piracy operations, perhaps it should. Bisogniero noted that the Chinese had invited former Secretary Albright, chairperson of the Concept drafting group, to Beijing in early 2010. Afghanistan, Asia-Pacific -------------- ¶4. (C) Bisogniero said the Chinese had expressed a positive judgment on the role of NATO in promoting stability in Afghanistan. "China stands ready to support the role of ISAF in improving stability in Afghanistan," he read from his notes of his meeting with VFM Zhang. The Chinese noted their aid to Afghanistan in the amount of $180 million, focused on development, telecommunications, transportation and infrastructure. China would continue to support the renewal of the UN mandate for ISAF. Still, the Chinese stressed, any solution to the problems in Afghanistan required a civilian component. Bisogniero said he had responded that General BEIJING 00003113 002 OF 002 McChrystal's assessment echoed that sentiment and that he urged the Chinese to consider how it could contribute to the Afghan National Army trust fund. Responding to VFM Zhang's interest in NATO relations with Asia-Pacific nations, Bisogniero said he had explained that NATO relations with South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand were mostly about those nations' contributions to ISAF efforts in Afghanistan. NATO was not, he said, seeking to "have an Asia policy." This, he noted, "seemed to satisfy" VFM Zhang. Russia, Central Asia, SCO -------------- ¶5. (C) Bisogniero noted that the Chinese were very interested in the issue of NATO expansion as related to Ukraine and Georgia. Bisogniero said he had told them that this was an issue for NATO, with Ukraine and Georgia, respectively, to decide, with no interference from outside (i.e., Russia). Bisogniero also said he had told the Chinese that NATO was open to interaction with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). When he had asked about SCO's future, the Chinese responded that China wanted to achieve stability in Central Asia through cooperation in such areas as border security and counter-terrorism. China did not foresee the SCO becoming a strategic, military alliance. North Korea, Iran, Pakistan -------------- ¶6. (C) Bisogniero's description of the PRC brief on North Korea, Iran and Pakistan indicated that the Chinese provided standard PRC positions. Pyongyang was seeking security and an improved economy, and wanted direct dialogue with the U.S. before returning to Six-Party Talks. Beijing had made clear to Pyongyang its concern about North Korean nuclear weapons. The Chinese agreed on the nature of the Iranian nuclear threat, supported a peaceful resolution of the issue, and hoped the Iranians would accept the Tehran Research Reactor proposal put forward by the IAEA. Problems related to Pakistan, as in the rest of South Asia, could only be solved by addressing their root causes, which were mostly related to economic development. Nonproliferation and Arms Control -------------- ¶7. (C) Bisogniero reported that the Chinese had told him they were studying President Obama's promotion of a nuclear weapons-free world and that the concept was in line with China's longstanding position. China continued to believe in the desirability of its no-first-use policy and of negative assurances (that nuclear powers would not use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapons states). The U.S. promotion of a nuclear weapons-free world was a positive force in efforts related to North Korea and Iran nuclear issues, the Chinese said. HUNTSMAN