March 10 MFA Press Briefing: U.S. Naval Vessel Incident, FM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000615 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MASS PHUM SU ZI CH SUBJECT: March 10 MFA Press Briefing: U.S. Naval Vessel Incident, FM Yang Visit, Tibet, Sudan, Zimbabwe ¶1. Key points at the March 10 MFA press briefing: -- "The USNS Impeccable violated international and Chinese law and conducted activities in China's special economic zone in the South China Sea without China's permission." -- The "open policy of Tibet has not changed" but it is "up to the local people and governments to decide whether to welcome journalists" to Tibet. -- "The door to negotiations is always open if the Dalai Lama gives up his erroneous claims." -- China hopes Congress "will abide by the basic norms of international relations and reject a proposed Congressional resolution" calling on China to end its repression in Tibet. -- China hopes the car accident involving Prime Minister Tsvangirai "would not affect the process of political reconciliation" in Zimbabwe. -- China "noted Sudan's decision" to expel NGOs and hopes the UN "can fully consult with the Government of Sudan to avoid a negative impact on the humanitarian situation in Darfur." Harassment of U.S. Naval Vessel -------------- ¶2. "The USNS Impeccable violated international and Chinese law and conducted activities in China's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea without China's permission," MFA spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu said at the regularly-scheduled March 10 MFA press briefing. Asked repeatedly about the harassment of the U.S. naval vessel, Ma said China had lodged a solemn representation to the United States and demanded that the United States "put an immediate stop to related activities and take effective measures to avoid similar incidents in the future." The U.S. claims that Chinese ships harassed the U.S. naval vessel "are gravely in contravention of the facts, confuse right and wrong and are totally unacceptable to China." The USNS Impeccable violated three laws: "the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, China's EEZ and Continental Shelf Act and Regulations of the PRC on the Management of Foreign-related Marine Scientific Research." Pressed for details on which parts of the laws were violated, Ma declined to specify, encouraging journalists to "do your homework and draw your own conclusions." ¶3. Asked whether Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi would discuss the incident during his visit to the United States, Ma said FM Yang went to the United States at the invitation of Secretary Clinton to make preparations for the meeting of President Hu and President Obama at the upcoming G-20 summit in London and to have an in-depth exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. He had no further comment. Tibet -------------- ¶4. On Tibet, Ma said the Dalai Lama "confuses right and wrong." In the last 50 years, Tibet "has witnessed ground-breaking changes." The democratic reforms initiated in Tibet in 1959 were the "widest social reforms in Tibet's history, important milestones in the emancipation of slaves and a contribution to the world's undertaking of human rights and freedom." In response to a question about negotiations with the representatives of the Dalai Lama, Ma said "the door to negotiations is always open if the Dalai Lama gives up his erroneous claims." ¶5. Regarding journalists' access to Tibet, Ma stressed that the "open policy of Tibet has not changed" and that journalists were welcome to travel to Tibet but should "go through relevant procedures and respect the opinions of local people." Noting that journalists use "various means" to travel to Tibet, he said "it is up to the local people and governments to decide whether to welcome journalists." When pressed for more information on journalists' access to Tibet and Tibetan regions of Sichuan and Qinghai Provinces, Ma posed a rhetorical question, asking journalists if they would "allow others to come into your home any time of the day to search in your closets." He suggested journalists use "common sense" in their interpersonal exchanges and "get useful information" by watching CCTV (China's state-owned television station) programs on democratic reforms in Tibet and by visiting Chinese exhibitions on Tibet. Ma said the State Council recently organized a trip to Tibet for foreign journalists who were "very satisfied" with the visit. BEIJING 00000615 002 OF 002 ¶6. Asked about a report that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi supports a Congressional resolution calling on China to end its repression in Tibet, Ma said the bill "proposed by a few anti-China members of Congress disregards the history and reality of Tibet." Tibet is "purely an internal affair of China" and China is "resolutely against using the Tibet issue to interfere in China's internal affairs." China hopes Congress "will abide by the basic norms of international relations and reject the resolution." Zimbabwe -------------- ¶7. On Zimbabwe, Ma said China expressed deep condolences on the tragic death of the wife of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and wished PM Tsvangirai a quick recovery. He added that China hoped the car accident would not affect the process of political reconciliation. Sudan -------------- ¶8. Asked about the expulsion of NGOs in Sudan, Ma said China "noted the decision by the Government of Sudan (GOS) and concern expressed by the UN" and expressed China's hope that the UN would "fully consult with the GOS to avoid a negative impact on the humanitarian situation in Darfur." PICCUTA