VZCZCXRO3370
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #5142/01 2191149
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071149Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0547
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005142 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP AND DRL 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/WILDER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI KCUL KOLY CH
SUBJECT: U.S.-BASED COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS CHIDES 
CHINA AND IOC IN BEIJING PRESS CONFERENCE 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists 
(CPJ) held a press conference in Beijing on August 7 to 
announce the release of a report highly critical of China's 
record on press freedom in advance of the Olympic Games.  The 
press conference proceeded smoothly without incident, in 
contrast to a similar event held the day before by Reporters 
Without Borders (RSF), which reportedly resulted in the 
detention of several RSF representatives afterward.  At 
today's event, CPJ officials focused on China's failure to 
live up to its pledge made to the IOC in 2001 that there 
would be "no restrictions on media reporting and movement of 
journalists up to and including the Olympic Games."  Despite 
the "very laudable" January 2007 liberalization of rules 
governing foreign reporters in China, CPJ emphasized the 
dangers that PRC reporters still face, pointing to the 29 
Chinese journalists currently behind bars.  The International 
Olympic Committee (IOC) was also criticized by CPJ for not 
applying sufficient pressure on the Chinese Government to 
implement its commitments on press freedom.  End Summary. 
 
Press Conference Held Without Incident 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists 
(CPJ) held a press conference at a Beijing hotel on August 7 
to announce the release of, "Falling Short," its highly 
critical report of China's record on press freedom in advance 
of the Olympic Games.  CPJ Board Chairman and Wall Street 
Journal Editor-at-large Paul Steiger, CPJ Asia Program 
Coordinator Bob Dietz and CPJ Asia Program Senior Researcher 
Kristin Jones read prepared statements and took questions 
before a crowd of approximately 75 people.  The press 
conference proceeded smoothly without incident, in contrast 
to a similar event held the day before by Reporters Without 
Borders (RSF), which according to Reuters and the RSF website 
resulted in the detention of several RSF representatives 
afterward.  In response to a reporter's question, Bob Dietz 
said he was unaware whether the CPJ press conference was 
"legal" but stated his satisfaction with the "unexpectedly 
large" turnout and lack of interference by Chinese officials 
who were rumored to be present.  (Note:  A Reuters 
correspondent told Poloff he could identify at least one MSS 
officer who was present at the event.) 
 
CPJ Harshly Criticizes Chinese Press Restrictions 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶3. (SBU) CPJ officials focused on China's failure to live up 
to its pledge made to the IOC in 2001 that there would be "no 
restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists 
up to and including the Olympic Games."  Paul Steiger was 
skeptical of a reporter's suggestion that continued 
development of the Internet would lead to a freer flow of 
information in China, saying that the Government has proven 
itself capable of controlling and restricting broad Internet 
activity, with the help of companies like Yahoo! and Google. 
Asked if CPJ had held discussions with any PRC Government 
departments before releasing the report, Dietz said that a 
recent request for a meeting with the Beijing Organizing 
Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) had gone 
unanswered. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Despite the "very laudable" January 2007 
liberalization of the rules governing foreign reporters in 
China, CPJ officials emphasized the dangers that PRC 
reporters still face, with Kristin Jones calling attention to 
the 29 Chinese journalists currently behind bars and 
asserting that the circumstances under which journalists 
operate outside China's "major urban areas" such as Beijing 
and Shanghai were much worse due to the "arbitrary powers" of 
local authorities.  Dietz summarized the report's list of 
recommendations for the Chinese Government, the IOC and 
foreign journalists working in China.  Among the 
recommendations for the PRC Government, Dietz stressed that 
Beijing must release the 29 jailed reporters, allow Chinese 
journalists to enjoy the same freedoms granted to foreign 
reporters, cease using "state security" charges to intimidate 
journalists and abide by Article 19 of the United Nations' 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protects media 
freedoms and to which China is a signatory. 
 
IOC Also Responsible 
-------------------- 
 
 
BEIJING 00005142  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Dietz was also critical of the IOC's insufficient 
pressure on China to meet its "pledges" on media freedom in 
the run up to the Olympics, stating that both the IOC and the 
Chinese Government are responsible for the lack of progress. 
One of the report's recommendations calls on the IOC to 
ensure that Beijing meets "international standards" for press 
freedoms.  Steiger stressed that China is fully capable of 
meeting press freedom requirements, declaring that "if (the 
Chinese) want it done, they will make it happen." 
RANDT