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
--------------


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

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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