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O 171006Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2186
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 023849 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV IN PK CH
SUBJECT: PRC/INDIA: DESPITE CHINA'S AMBASSADOR'S PRESS 
STATEMENTS, TWO SIDES LOOK FORWARD TO FRUITFUL SUMMIT 
 
REF: A) FEA20061114029815 B) NEW DELHI 07764 
 
Classified By: External Unit Chief Edgard Kagan.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
 Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) China and India are working closely together to ensure 
that Preident Hu Jintao's November 20 ) 23 trip to India is 
a success, according to a Chinese MFA official and an Indian 
Embassy officer.  In separae meetings, both officers 
confirmed that recent press statements made by China's 
Ambassador to India on the border dispute and resulting press 
stories suggesting a cooling off in relations are not 
reflective of the true state of the bilateral relationship. 
The MFA official stated that the "visit will speak for 
itself," while the Indian officer pointed out that China's 
Ambassador has embarrassed both New Delhi and Beijing in the 
past by speaking out of turn.  Both officers asserted that 
border talks between China and India are ongoing and that an 
announcement on the consultations will be made during 
President Hu's visit.  India is briefed on all aspects of 
Sino-Pakistan cooperation, according to the MFA official, who 
added that no new developments in nuclear cooperation between 
Islamabad and Beijing will be announced during Hu's November 
23-26 visit to Pakistan. End Summary. 
 
Media Stirring the Pot or . . . 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) The Indian media is trying to "make trouble" before 
President Hu Jintao's Nov. 20 ) 23 visit to India, stated 
MFA Asian Department Division Director for India, Nepal, Sri 
Lanka and Bhutan Huang Xilian, stressing that China's 
Ambassador Sun Yuxi's remarks  on the boundary dispute during 
a Indian television interview (reftel A) were "taken out of 
context."  Huang said that Beijing was not aware of Sun's 
remarks at the time Sun made them and that he had to call Sun 
to get details on the media interview.  China and India are 
working "around the clock" to create a good atmosphere for 
the visit, Huang told poloffs during a November 16 meeting. 
Beijing does not allow the outstanding boundary issue effects 
the development of bilateral relations.  Huang stressed that 
"the visit will speak for itself." 
 
. . . China's Ambassador Talking Without Beijing's Guidance 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (C) PRC Foreign Ministry officials emphatically told their 
Indian Embassy counterparts in Beijing that China had not 
instructed Ambassador Sun to speak on the border issue and 
had no advance notice that Sun was going to give a television 
interview, according Indian Embassy officer Madhusudhanan 
Sridharan.  Sridharan told poloff November 17 that he 
believed the MFA was embarrassed by Sun's statement and his 
"bizarre behavior" before a very important high-level 
exchange.  New Delhi is not attributing any ulterior motives 
to Sun's "outburst," Sridharan said.  This is not the first 
time Ambassador Sun's press interviews have embarrassed both 
China and India, he stated.  Most recently, the two sides had 
agreed to jointly announce the visit of Hu Jintao but Sun 
beat everyone to the punch and unilaterally announced the 
visit, Sridharan said. 
 
Border Consultations Not Stalled 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Consultations between Beijing and New Delhi are 
on-going, according to MFA Director Huang Xilian, who 
stressed that the border talks have never been "cancelled." 
Huang said the idea that the two sides cancelled talks was a 
media "fabrication."  At the conclusion of the eighth round 
of border talks in September, the two sides agreed to hold 
the next round of talks within a year but never fixed a date. 
 Huang said that China and India have agreed to make an 
announcement on the border issue during Hu Jintao's visit. 
Sridharan stated that the next round of border talks are 
likely to start "soon" after Hu's visit, adding that the two 
sides "may announce" the dates of the next round during the 
summit. 
 
Transparent Visit to Pakistan? 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Huang stated that India is "very clear" about China's 
cooperation with Pakistan in all fields and that the two 
countries frequently exchange views. Huang said that no new 
developments in Sino-Pakistan nuclear cooperation would be 
 
BEIJING 00023849  002 OF 002 
 
 
announced during President Hu Jintao's November 23-26 trip to 
Pakistan. 
 
¶6. (C) New Delhi is not aware of any Chinese plans to expand 
nuclear cooperation with Islamabad, stated Sridharan. 
However, India welcomes and expects the possible signing of a 
Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and China during Hu's 
visit, according to Sridharan.  New Delhi hopes that a FTA 
would promote the development of Pakistan's economy and 
thereby improve stability in the country. 
Randt 

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