CHINESE MFA ON IMPECCABLE INCIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 000645 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2034 TAGS: PREL PHSA PBTS MOPS MARR KTIA CH SUBJECT: CHINESE MFA ON IMPECCABLE INCIDENT REF: A. BEIJING 600 ¶B. 081642Z MAR 09 (DAO CABLE) Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Charge d'Affaires spoke with Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi March 12 to underline the importance of the U.S.-proposed telcon between Chief of Naval Operations ADM Roughead and his PLA Navy counterpart ADM Wu Shengli to discuss the March 8 USNS Impeccable incident in the South China Sea (reftels A and B). The purpose of Admiral Roughead's call would be to put the incident behind us, even as we continued to disagree on some of the issues involved. ¶2. (C) AFM Liu said China attached importance to the proposed call using the U.S.-China Defense Telephone Link and the Ministry of National Defense was "positively studying" the proposal. Liu was non-committal on whether the Chinese side was going to agree to the call and stressed that the U.S. side should not necessarily read any decision one way or the other either negatively or positively. Whether the telcon happened or not, Liu said, China hoped the United States would take seriously the PRC position on the issues relevant to the recent South China Sea incident, maintain calm and exercise restraint. ¶3. (C) AFM Liu said that China wanted the United States to take into account PRC concerns and acknowledged the U.S. desire to maintain calm and put the incident behind us. China hoped the United States would take measures to avoid similar incidents in the future. The Chinese position was well known to the United States. China hoped the United States would maintain a constructive attitude toward participation in military-to-military exchanges and take into account the long-term interests of the broader bilateral relationship. ¶4. (C) AFM Liu noted that Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had had good talks in Washington March 11. The Chinese side looked forward to a series of high-level exchanges in the near future. The bilateral relationship should be managed in a spirit of mutual respect, and differences and sensitive issues should be handled well and with a view toward the long-term interests of both sides. PICCUTA