JANUARY 21, 2010 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: HAITI, START TALKS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 000158 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y//CORRECTION OF TEXT IN PARA 8// SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM PARM EINT MNUC SENV CH ZA RS AF HA SZ SUBJECT: JANUARY 21, 2010 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: HAITI, START TALKS, WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM BEIJING 00000158 001.3 OF 002 ¶1. Key points at the January 21 MFA press briefing were: -- China announced it had sent four additional peacekeepers to help Haiti's earthquake relief efforts. -- China asserts that the United States and Russia must substantially reduce their nuclear arsenals in a verifiable and irreversible manner in order to achieve conditions for complete nuclear disarmament. -- Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang will travel to Switzerland January 25-28 to participate in the 2010 World Economic Forum. -- China supports the adoption of a "dual-track strategy" and diplomatic negotiations for dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue. China's Earthquake Disaster Relief in Haiti -------------- ¶2. At the January 21 regularly scheduled Foreign Ministry press briefing, Spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu stated that China had sent four additional peacekeepers to help Haiti's earthquake relief efforts in accordance with the "humanitarian and internationalist spirit." He said that China had sent rescue teams to Haiti and provided emergency relief supplies and economic assistance in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Ma noted that China was ready to join the international community in continuing earthquake relief efforts, as well as reconstruction. ¶3. Acknowledging that reconstruction in Haiti would be arduous, Ma said the United Nations would need to guide and coordinate relief efforts. China would further consider reconstruction assistance to Haiti depending on the changing situation and would "actively consider" any United Nations appeal for emergency assistance. ¶4. Ma noted that Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Yesui chaired the Review Conference on Haiti at which all parties approved UN Security Council Resolution 1908. This resolution would deploy 3,500 peacekeepers to Haiti to help humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, and maintain stability, Ma said. China would continue to strengthen coordination with all parties concerned to help the Haitian people overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes. U.S.-Russia START Talks -------------- ¶5. "The United States and Russia, as the two countries with the largest nuclear arsenals, would need to substantially reduce their nuclear arsenals in a verifiable and irreversible manner to achieve comprehensive and necessary conditions for nuclear disarmament," Ma stated. China hoped the United States and Russia would reach a new practical agreement as soon as possible through the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Ma explained that China had always advocated the complete prohibition and destruction of nuclear weapons. China was therefore willing to work with all parties to continue to promote the nuclear disarmament process. 2010 World Economic Forum -------------- ¶6. At the invitation of President of the Confederation of Switzerland Doris Leuthard and the World Economic Forum President Klaus Schwab, Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang will travel to Davos, Switzerland January 25-28 to participate in the 2010 World Economic Forum. Ma stated that the global economic recovery was not yet "solid" and the international community should focus on structural reforms regarding global economic governance. The World Economic Forum, Ma continued, would be an opportunity for the participating parties to discuss and absorb lessons of the financial crisis and address international economic cooperation as a means to overcome trade and investment protectionism, effective responses to climate change, food security, energy security, and other global issues. Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program -------------- ¶7. China supported the adoption of a "dual-track strategy" for dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue, Ma stated. Diplomatic negotiations were the best method for resolving the nuclear issue. China believed that a pragmatic policy to promote dialogue and progress in the negotiations was the "right solution." Zambian Presidential Candidate Remarks -------------- ¶8. In response to reports of calls by a Zambian presidential candidate for Chinese-funded enterprises to respect local laws and customs and to uphold social responsibility, Ma stated that BEIJING 00000158 002.2 OF 002 ???????????????????,??????????????????the majority of Chinese enterprises follow those principles. China would continue to require Chinese companies to do so.??????????????????,??????????????????????? ?,???????? Afghanistan Policy -------------- ¶9. Ma announced that Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi would serve as the Special Representative of President Hu Jintao at meetings on Afghanistan and security policy issues to be held in Turkey, Cyprus, France, England, and Germany from January 25 to February 6. HUNTSMAN