AMBASSADOR RICE MEETS WITH CHINESE VFM HE YAFEI

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000514


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM CH
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RICE MEETS WITH CHINESE VFM HE YAFEI

Classified By: Ambassador Wolff for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: During a cordial meeting on May 14,
Ambassador Rice and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei
agreed to work together to maximize commonalties and minimize
disagreements on UN issues. The two also agreed to increase
cooperation on African issues. He Yafei said the North
Koreans want dialogue with the United States "first and
foremost" adding that even the possibility of engagement may
discourage North Korea from taking additional provocative
action. Ambassador Rice responded that the U.S. is not
opposed to direct dialogue but it should not be a substitute
for the Six Party process. They agreed on basic precepts
regarding Security Council reform, including modest Council
expansion, no change to the current veto configuration and
ensuring Council legitimacy with any enlargement agreed by
the broadest possible consensus. However, He Yafei
reiterated China's ongoing concern with Japan gaining a
permanent seat on the Council. Both also agreed that the
outcome document for the upcoming UN Conference on the World
Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development
"needed fixing." He Yafei said China would consider the U.S.
request to allow critical terrorism designations in the 1267
Committee linked to the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba terrorist group to
move forward. End Summary.

Africa


2. (C) On Africa, Ambassador Rice stressed the importance of
working together to maximize commonalties and minimize
disagreements, particularly in the UN context. He Yafei
agreed that the United States and China often share similar
goals but differ on means, adding that China generally takes
a more cautious approach. The two agreed to try to increase
cooperation on African issues.

DPRK


3. (C) VFM He Yafei said that China was "frustrated" with
recent developments in North Korea. He added that the North
Koreans told the Chinese that Six-Party Talks were dead, but
could not confirm that the regime would give up talks
entirely. China has urged restraint and emphasized the need
to return to Six Party Talks. He also said that "first and
foremost" the North Koreans want direct engagement with the
United States. As long as the possibility for engagement is
kept alive, he continued, there is a strong chance that the
DPRK will not escalate.


4. (C) Ambassador Rice questioned North Korea's recent
behavior, which did not indicate the leadership's interest in
bilateral talks. He Yafei responded that recent actions were
likely an effort to get U.S. and international attention. He
said the situation in North Korea is "complicated." The DPRK
has a stated objective to become a "strong nation" by 2012,
he continued, and the recent satellite launch showed the
people of North Korea that they are "almost there." He also
touched on possible internal succession issues, which he
thought would not destabilize the country but might slow
things down and asked that the U.S. be patient. Ambassador
Rice assured He Yafei that the United States is not averse to
direct dialogue, but emphasized that dialogue should not be a
substitute for the Six Party process. She stressed the
importance of persuading the DPRK to return to Six Party
Talks, dissuading them from any further action, and working
together with China to find a common way forward without the
urgency of another crisis.

UNSC Reform


5. (C) Ambassador Rice told He Yafei that the United States
continues to review its policy on Security Council reform.
She stressed that the Obama administration recognizes the
need for Council expansion to reflect the realities of the
21st century but commented that expansion must be modest in
order to maintain the Council's effectiveness and efficiency.
She said the U.S. does not agree with adding permanent seats
representing regions without knowing what countries would
occupy the seats, and is not interested in changing the
current configuration of the veto. Rice said that the U.S.
has avoided taking sides between the Group of Four and
Uniting for Consensus blocs and is approaching the issue with
genuine open-mindedness. Ambassador Wolff added that
obtaining a two-thirds majority in support of a proposal for
Council expansion would leave one-third of the membership
unhappy. A successful proposal should enjoy the widest
possible political support.


6. (C) Ambassador Rice noted that the Africa Group was
paralyzed with an untenable position -- Egypt and South
Africa are unwilling to budge on insisting on two permanent
seats for Africa with the veto -- but the U.S. is in no hurry
to intervene. Ambassador Wolff added that the United States
and China have excellent cooperation on this issue and
remarked that there is a real risk that President of the
General Assembly (PGA) D'Escoto will want to take action to
demonstrate progress before he finishes his tenure in
September. In response to He Yafei's question about a
solution forced on the Council or rushed through the General
Assembly, Rice responded that the possibility exists, but
added that intervening prematurely could accelerate the
process and precipitate a bad decision by the Assembly.


7. (C) Ambassador Wolff said the dynamics surrounding the
intermediate solution needed to be watched carefully. Japan
and Germany are playing with the idea and Brazil is
approaching it with caution. If India shows interest in it,
however, the situation could turn and reform could move much
more quickly. Rice reiterated that adding for example two
Africa seats without knowing who would occupy the seats is
not a workable solution for the United States. He Yafei
commented that it would take time for each region to identify
candidates for the seats.


8. (C) In response to Ambassador Rice's question about
China's bottom line, He Yafei said that China believes the
Council needs to be more representative but should not be too
large. China does not have a specific size in mind for an
expanded Council, he said. Like the U.S., he commented,
China wants to anchor an expanded Council's legitimacy with
the widest possible consensus, agreeing that the two-thirds
majority would leave one-third unsatisfied. He also said
that adding Japan remained an issue for China. Ambassador
Rice commented that it would be difficult to envision
expansion of the Council without the UN's second largest
contributor, which He Yafei acknowledged. He Yafei said that
it is too early and the conditions are not right for the P5
to come to any consensus on reform, stressing the need for
the United States, China and Russia to reach a consensus
before bringing in the UK and France, which have different
objectives in a reform process (i.e. holding on to their
seats). He Yafei said that Russia would not be a problem and
once the U.S. and China come to an understanding, Russia will
"come along." Rice emphasized the need to stay in close
contact on the issue and share information. He Yafei agreed.

Financial Crisis


9. (C) Ambassador Rice said that the PGA's draft for the
outcome document for the Conference on the World Financial
and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development (1-3 June
2009) is unworkable and crosses many U.S. redlines.
Ambassador Wolff commented that by tabling such a divisive
draft, the PGA lost support from the membership -- even the
developing countries. He has since realized his mistake,
however, and will be returning early from a trip overseas to
put the process back on track. Wolff suggested that the best
way forward would be to allow the PGA to save face by
considering his draft "inspirational guidance," while
focusing on a new text. He added that the Mission is
assembling a group of G77 members of the G20, including
China, to discuss the conference with Deputy NSA Michael
Froman on May 15. Rice stressed and He Yafei agreed on the
importance of working together closely to ensure the
conference is consistent with G20 objectives and building the
broadest possible consensus to salvage the process and ensure
a responsible role for the UN in development

1267 Designations


10. (C) Ambassador Rice noted that China had blocked three
critical new terrorism designations in the 1267 Committee,
which were linked to the Lashka-e-Tayyiba (LeT) terrorist
group. She pressed He Yafei to allow the designations to
move forward in the Committee. He Yafei responded that China
would consider her request and take another look.


Wolff