O 100014Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0627
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

S E C R E T BEIJING 005237 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2027 
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC MTCR KSCA CH IR
 
SUBJECT: (S) AMBASSADOR PRESSES CHINA ON ITS RELATIONS 
WITH IRAN 
 
REF: A. STATE 109649 
     ¶B. BEIJING 5070 
     ¶C. STATE 111099 
     ¶D. P STAFF-EMBASSY BEIJING EMAIL 8/1/07 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
¶1. (S) Summary: The Ambassador urged China to support 
the approval of a new UNSC Resolution to "keep the 
pressure on Iran" during a meeting with Assistant 
Foreign Minster Cui Tiankai at the Foreign Ministry 
August 9.  Drawing upon reftel A and previous 
demarches regarding arms shipments to Iran, the 
Ambassador emphasized that China's "business as usual" 
trade policies will not help persuade Iran to cease 
its proliferation activities.  AFM Cui described 
Chinese frustration with what it views as "U.S. 
pressure" on third countries to interfere with Chinese 
shipments to Iran.  Claiming China has behaved in 
strict accord with UNSC resolutions, Cui accused the 
United States of "overstretching" the interpretation 
of UNSCR 1737 and UNSCR 1747.  He said the current 
dual-track system (negotiations and the present regime 
of UNSC resolutions and international agreements) is 
effective and warned that imposing economic sanctions 
risks empowering Iranian hardliners.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (S) The Ambassador met with Assistant Foreign 
Minster Cui Tiankai August 9 to urge China to stop 
conventional weapons sales to Iran and to support the 
approval of additional United Nations sanctions to 
pressure Iran to cease its nuclear proliferation 
activities.  Delivering reftel A demarche and 
referring to the steady flow of arms sales information 
previously shared with the MFA by Embassy Beijing, the 
Ambassador cautioned against continued "business as 
usual with Iran," and emphasized the need for all 
countries to respect their responsibilities under 
UNSCR 1737 and UNSCR 1747.  The entire international 
community must continue to pressure Iran, the 
Ambassador asserted. 
 
¶3. (S) AFM Cui said that China believes the UNSC 
resolutions, International Atomic Energy Agency 
resolutions and other international agreements have 
thus far been successful in curbing Iran's 
proliferation activities.  If another resolution is 
needed, he contended, it will be "easy enough to work 
out."  On the issue of Chinese shipments to Iran, AFM 
Cui criticized U.S. actions.  He said the two 
shipments of "plain cables" recently seized in Dubai 
(reftel B) are an example of the United States 
"overstretching" the interpretation of UNSCR 1737 and 
UNSCR 1747.  AFM Cui described Chinese frustration 
with what it views as "U.S. pressure" on third 
countries to detain shipments of Chinese products to 
Iran.  "The United States should deal directly with 
China," he said.  China, he pledged, will not export 
dual-use technology or items that could aid Iran's WMD 
program.  China has acted in strict accordance with 
UNSCR 1737 and UNSCR 1747.  Current trade simply 
fulfills previously signed contracts, he said.  "We 
understand U.S. concerns regarding weapons going from 
Iran to Iraq.  China has no intention of facilitating 
that transfer." 
 
¶4.  (S) Cui claimed that China's economic relationship 
with Iran in the energy sector is both legal under the 
UNSC resolutions and critical to China's continued 
economic development.  China's energy dealings with 
Iran are "not for profit," he stated, and claimed that 
China has no other stable energy supply source.  Cui 
noted that Iran complains that China's trade policy is 
too strict, and Washington criticizes China's trade 
policy as too liberal.  Therefore, "China's trade 
policy toward Iran is probably just right."  Cui said 
that China, while ready to discuss elements of a new 
UNSCR, hopes the present two-track negotiations will 
soon "move closer to each other and eventually meet 
half way."  Economic sanctions, he stated, should be 
avoided at all costs.  Sanctions will serve only to 
"further empower the voices of the hardliners in 
Iran." 
 
¶5.  (S) The Ambassador reiterated the importance of a 
new UN resolution as a "complement to the current 
UNSCRs, not in lieu of them."  Regarding 
nonproliferation issues, the Ambassador pointed out 
that the sale of anti-ship cruise missiles to Iran 
sends a "poor message" to China's "U.S. friends."  The 
Ambassador assured AFM Cui that Embassy Beijing will 
stay in close contact with Cui's Arms Control 
Department regarding LIMMT shipments of graphite 
cylinders to Iran (reftel C).  Cui then asked to move 
on to another subject, delivering a demarche to the 
Ambassador regarding Taiwan (septel). 
 
AFM Cui's Immediate and Future Travels 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (S) AFM Cui said he welcomes further discussions 
with the United States regarding Iran and 
nonproliferation.  He requested the Ambassador pass on 
his thanks to Under Secretary Burns for the P5 1 
background materials he received via EAP Assistant 
Secretary Hill while attending the ARF in Manila (ref 
D).  Cui had just returned late August 8 from a trip 
to Manila and Islamabad and is leaving again August 
10, traveling via New York to Mexico City for a 
meeting of the 5 developing countries of the G8 5.  He 
said he is "looking forward to not having this kind of 
work to do anymore."  Through his visit to Pakistan 
and meetings with Pakistani officials, including 
President Musharraf, he is convinced that the 
situation is stable there.  His travel schedule keeps 
him very busy, he remarked, saying he regrets not 
having had time to meet Under Secretary Burns. 
"Perhaps he will be able to come visit me in a foreign 
capital," he said, alluding to his as-yet-unannounced 
posting as Ambassador.  Later, in a personal aside, 
AFM Cui told the Ambassador that he had been hoping to 
be posted to "an English-speaking country," but it was 
not to be.  Following his trip to Mexico City, AFM Cui 
will remain in Beijing until he travels to Sydney for 
the APEC meeting. 
RANDT 
 
 
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