VZCZCXRO2018
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #6158/01 2621144
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191144Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2031
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA IMMEDIATE 0306
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE IMMEDIATE 0105

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 006158 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC KPKO SU CH ZI ET
SUBJECT: LIU GUIJIN: U.S. VISIT A SUCCESS; DISCUSSES SUDAN, 
ZIMBABWE, ETHIOPIA AT SEPT 18 PRESS CONFERENCE 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  PRC Special Envoy for Darfur Liu Guijin 
described his recent trip to the United States as a success 
that resulted in increased understanding of China's Darfur 
policies at a September 18 press briefing.  In response to 
questions, he said that the security situation in Darfur is 
improving, but still complex.  China is ready to send 315 
engineers to the region once "technical delays" are resolved 
and has provided large amounts of additional aid.  There are 
multiple stumbling blocks in advance of the October 24 peace 
negotiations, including ongoing negotiations regarding which 
rebel leaders will attend.  China is willing to attend the 
negotiations if asked, but does not anticipate that it will. 
China feels that funding is the single largest obstacle to 
the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1769 
establishing the UNAMID peacekeeping force.  The Chinese 
government does not plan to contact Khartoum directly, as it 
has not been asked to do so by the UN or the African Union. 
 
Additional Press Conference 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Following the normal twice-weekly MFA press conference 
on September 18 (attended by PolOff), the MFA announced that 
Chinese Special Envoy for Darfur Liu Guijin would address the 
press to debrief his early-September trip to the United 
States. 
 
¶3. (U) Liu explained that during the seven working days of 
his September 1-11 trip to the United States, he met with 
high-level American officials, including Deputy Secretary of 
State John Negroponte, House Foreign Affairs Committee 
Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA), Congressional Black Caucus member 
Don Paine (D-NJ), Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin 
(D-IL) and other members of Congress, as well as UN officials 
such as Under Secretary General for Political Affairs B. Lynn 
Pascoe and Assistant Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping 
Operations Hedi Annabi.  He met with members of the Save 
Darfur NGO and attended a Center for Strategic and 
International Studies-sponsored event where he met with 
scholars and experts on Darfur. 
 
¶4. (U) Liu described his trip as a success, saying that he 
achieved his goal of increasing understanding with U.S. 
officials and Congress.  He said that he "removed 
differences" that existed between China on the one hand and 
NGOs and the media on the other, and stated that U.S. 
officials and the UN "applauded" China's positive and 
constructive role.  His visit to the United States coincided 
with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's visit to Libya, Chad 
and Darfur, a visit which Liu said "encouraged" him. 
 
Security Is Improving, but Situation is Complex 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶5. (U) Asked if he is concerned about an increase in aerial 
bombings in Darfur, Liu responded that the security situation 
in Darfur is improving, but problems persist because of 
ineffective implementation of the ceasefire.  The reasons 
behind this are complex, he said, and include an increase in 
refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially 
among black Africans, as well as inter-tribal territorial 
issues and a tendency toward militarization in refugee camps, 
where there is relatively easy access to illegal arms.  Liu 
said that these concerns emphasize the need to "redouble our 
efforts" in Darfur. 
 
¶6. (U) Asked if the declining security situation would impede 
peace negotiations, Liu explained that the upcoming peace 
talks are facing a variety of issues, but security is not one 
of them.  He said that while Libya has been chosen for the 
October 24 peace negotiations, the actual site of the talks 
is "not yet finalized," and rebel groups, which he prefers to 
call "political movements," have not yet settled their 
internal debates on which leaders are "qualified to attend" 
and able to represent various rebel populations.  These 
problems, rather than security, are the stumbling blocks the 
peace talks are facing. 
 
China to Attend If Asked 
------------------------ 
 
¶7. (U) When asked if China would attend these talks or play 
the role of "go-between," Liu explained that historically 
there has been no direct contact between China and the rebel 
leaders, who are living primarily in European capital cities. 
 However, if China is invited to attend the talks, it will 
send a representative, but Western officials have indicated 
that they do not want too many "observers and judges" present 
during the negotiations.  He added that China has played an 
active role in promoting negotiations between the government 
 
BEIJING 00006158  002 OF 003 
 
 
and rebel leaders. 
 
The Heavy Support Package 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Liu said that many Western journalists met with the 
315 multi-function soldier engineers the PRC is sending to 
Darfur and that were it not for technical delays, they would 
"already be there."  He indicated that after "technical 
preparations" are complete, the soldiers, the first to be 
deployed in the region since the passage of UN Security 
Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1769, will be deployed.  Liu said 
that many African nations have offered troops in excess of 
the 19,555 authorized by UNSCR 1769, and as such the process 
of selecting troops from various countries is ongoing; within 
that 19,555 will be 360 "liaison officers and military 
observers."  When asked if China is willing to send combat 
troops, Liu said that if asked the Chinese government would 
consider it, but now is not the time to discuss the matter. 
 
¶9. (U) Asked if China is sending other aid besides the 315 
engineers, Liu cited the 80 million RMB (approximately USD 10 
million) in aid that already left from Tianjin harbor for 
Darfur.  He also said that Chinese companies are working in 
both northern and southern Darfur to provide drinkable water 
both for the people of Darfur and for the peacekeepers.  He 
also said that China is ready to send medical teams to the 
region and the Chinese people have donated over USD 2 million 
to the region for development and reconstruction. 
 
Current Goals in Darfur 
----------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) As for current goals, Liu stated that peacekeeping 
requires a "good environment" and as such, all parties are 
making efforts to improve the security situation in Darfur. 
He further stated that the Chinese government is "urging 
restraint" in the region.  When asked for clarification, he 
said that China is asking for restraint "from all 
stakeholders" in the region, including the Sudanese 
government, refugees and in particular anyone "doing anything 
wrong."  Asked if China has plans to directly contact 
Khartoum, Liu responded that China does not have any such 
plans, as "neither the African Union nor the UN" has made 
such a request. 
 
Funding is the Biggest Hurdle 
----------------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) Liu said the largest challenge the hybrid forces are 
facing is financial, as the peacekeeping operation, the 
single most expensive in the history of peacekeeping, will 
cost USD 2.5 billion per year. He said China is in 
consultation with other nations at UN on the matter.  He also 
said that there is a need to accelerate the process of 
selecting the peacekeepers, so as not to dampen the current 
enthusiasm the African nations are displaying for peace 
keeping. 
 
¶12. (U) When asked if China would support other means to 
resolve the issues in Darfur should a peaceful negotiated 
solution ultimately fail, Liu said that the current path of 
peaceful negotiation is clearly the right one, as evidenced 
by the progress already made.  This progress includes the 
selection of a time and place for peace negotiations and the 
participation of eight rebel factions.  The use of force, he 
said, would not solve any of the myriad problems facing the 
region. 
 
¶13. (U) Asked about China's relationship with the Sudanese 
government, Liu responded that there are "no special 
elements" to the relationship, except that the two nations 
have strong economic ties.  The media has attempted to 
politicize the relationship, he said, but his recent trip to 
America allowed him to make inroads in making others 
understand that Darfur "is not China's domestic issue" and 
that the world is "over-rating China's ability to help." 
 
Zimbabwe and Ethiopia 
--------------------- 
 
¶14. (U) Asked to comment on the situation in Zimbabwe and the 
sort of outcome the Chinese government would prefer, Liu said 
that China prefers to defer to regional organizations, such 
as the African Union.  But while China sees the possibility 
of building not just a harmonious society but also a 
harmonious world, it, like many African nations including 
South Africa, does not want to "internationalize" the 
Zimbabwe issue.  Asked if Chinese policy toward Zimbabwe 
 
BEIJING 00006158  003 OF 003 
 
 
changed recently and whether it is true that China would only 
be giving humanitarian aid, Liu responded that he had not 
been following the situation.  However, he said, no major 
Chinese development projects are underway in Zimbabwe because 
of the poor economic situation and massive devaluation of the 
currency, but humanitarian aid continues.(Note: Press reports 
after the conference suggested China had halted development 
aid to Zimbabwe.  MFA contacts denied to PolOff September 19 
any shift in Chinese aid policy toward Zimbabwe.  See septel.) 
 
¶15. (U) Asked about the potential for Ethiopia to become a 
second Darfur and whether Ethiopian troops are defending 
Sinopec holdings in the region, Liu responded that he had not 
seen the reports and was unable to comment. 
Randt