VZCZCXRO6242
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #7352/01 1081030
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181030Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3303
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0267
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0761
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0988
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0895

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 007352 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ECON PHUM PARM KNNP CH IR
SUBJECT: APRIL 18 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: AFM CUI TO IRAN, 
SIX-PARTY TALKS, TAIWAN, EAST CHINA SEA DISPUTE, SUDAN 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  Key points made at the April 18 MFA press briefing 
are as follows: 
 
- During his recent trip to Iran, AFM Cui Tiankai 
expressed China?s concern over recent developments 
concerning Iran?s nuclear program. 
 
- The "principal parties" to the Six-Party Talks 
should demonstrate their sincerity in order to achieve 
progress and implement the Joint Statement. 
 
- Taiwan is the "most important and sensitive core 
issue" in U.S.-China relations and cannot be 
marginalized. 
 
- The notice placed on the China Maritime Safety 
Administration website regarding China?s Pinghu gas 
field operations contained a "technical inaccuracy," 
but China objects to Japan?s exaggeration of the 
issue. 
 
- China blocked UN sanctions related to Darfur because 
it wishes to promote a negotiated solution, which it 
hopes will happen by the end of April. 
 
- While the SCO maintains an open attitude toward 
expanding its membership, it is presently focused on 
internal development and strengthening cooperation 
among its current members. 
 
- Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen will visit China 
April 25-28.  Vice President of Sierra Leone Berewa 
will visit China April 23-27.  End Summary. 
 
AFM Cui?s Iran Visit 
-------------------- 
 
¶2.  Responding to questions during the regular April 
18 MFA press briefing on Assistant Foreign Minister 
Cui Tiankai's recent visit to Iran, MFA Spokesperson 
Qin Gang noted that AFM Cui met with a number of 
Iranian officials, including Supreme National Security 
Council Secretary Larijani and Deputy Secretary 
Vaheedi.  AFM Cui voiced China's concern over recent 
developments concerning Iran?s nuclear program.  He 
expressed the hope that all the parties will exercise 
restraint and will continue negotiations in order to 
create conditions for a proper resolution of the 
Iranian nuclear issue. 
 
China's "Constructive Role" in the Six-Party Talks 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  Asked about reported recent statements by Deputy 
Secretary Zoellick on China?s role in the Six-Party 
 
SIPDIS 
Talks, Qin asserted that Beijing has consistently 
played a constructive role in the Talks process. 
China strongly advocates a nuclear weapon-free Korean 
Peninsula and a peaceful resolution to the DPRK 
nuclear issue, which are goals that serve all the 
parties? interests and regional peace and stability. 
Beijing has made widely recognized efforts to promote 
the Talks process and will maintain contact with all 
the parties, both inside and outside the Six-Party 
Talks framework.  The Six-Party Talks are currently 
encountering complications, and the ?principal 
parties? in particular should demonstrate their 
sincerity in order to achieve progress and implement 
the Joint Statement reached during the last round of 
the Talks. 
 
President Hu's U.S. Visit and Taiwan, Human Rights 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶4.  Asked by the Taiwan Central News Agency 
correspondent where Taiwan ranks on President Hu 
Jintao?s agenda for his U.S. visit, Qin underscored 
that Taiwan is the ?most important and sensitive core 
issue? in U.S.-China relations.  This issue cannot be 
marginalized, he stressed.  President Hu and U.S. 
leaders will discuss ways to develop bilateral 
relations and exchange views on major international 
and regional issues.  Beijing hopes Washington will 
 
BEIJING 00007352  002 OF 002 
 
 
honor its commitments to its one-China policy, the 
Three Joint Communiques and opposition to Taiwan 
independence, as well as work with China to maintain 
cross-Strait peace and stability and regional 
development.  Such actions serve all the parties? 
interests. 
 
¶5.  Asked by the Kyodo correspondent how President Hu 
will portray China's human rights situation to U.S. 
leaders, Qin remarked that China supports countries in 
developing their human rights based on their 
particular backgrounds and conditions, adding that it 
is natural for nations to have different human rights 
practices.  China and the United States are making 
efforts to promote human rights, and the two 
countries, as well as other nations, should conduct 
dialogue in this area.  Beijing opposes confrontation 
and the use of human rights as a pretext to interfere 
in countries? internal affairs. 
 
Sino-Japanese East China Sea Row 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  Questioned by a number of Japanese correspondents 
about the reported notice posted on the China Maritime 
Safety Administration website March 1 prohibiting most 
ships from entering an area surrounding the Pinghu gas 
field due to an expansion project, Qin stated that the 
notice contained a "technical inaccuracy."  China?s 
actual operations are not being conducted in this 
area, Qin said, referring to the area also claimed by 
Japan.  Beijing, however, does not recognize the 
median line unilaterally established by Tokyo and 
expresses dissatisfaction with Japan's objections 
based on this claim, as well as Japan's exaggeration 
of the issue.  Because China is not operating in a 
disputed area but rather totally within Chinese 
maritime territory, it was not necessary to inform 
Japan of the project.  Responding to whether this 
incident could affect bilateral ties, Qin remarked 
that while the matter stemmed from a technical 
inaccuracy, reinterpreting or playing up the issue 
could create further problems. 
 
UN Sanctions on Sudan 
--------------------- 
 
¶7.  Asked by the Spanish News Agency correspondent 
about the recent decision by China and Russia to block 
UN sanctions on individuals involved in atrocities in 
Darfur, Qin maintained that China wishes to resolve 
the issue by promoting negotiations.  Beijing hopes 
the parties will strive to reach a comprehensive 
settlement by the end of April. 
 
SCO Membership 
-------------- 
 
¶8.  Asked about by the Reuters and AP correspondents 
about reported plans for the Shanghai Cooperation 
Organization (SCO) to grant SCO observer countries, 
including Iran, membership during the June SCO Summit 
in Shanghai, Qin stated that the SCO maintains an open 
attitude toward expanding its membership but is 
presently focused on internal development and 
strengthening cooperation among its current members. 
While further discussion on accepting new members is 
necessary, all SCO members are now concentrating on 
ways to enhance the role of SCO observers.  Qin said 
that he has received no information about certain 
observer countries (i.e. Iran) expressing interest in 
full membership, adding that the SCO has not 
established any legal procedures for absorbing new 
members.  SCO countries will take many things into 
consideration in deciding which countries to invite to 
the Shanghai Summit. 
 
Upcoming Visits 
--------------- 
 
¶9.  Qin announced that Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen 
will visit China April 25-28.  Vice President of 
Sierra Leone Berewa will visit China April 23-27. 
SEDNEY