VZCZCXRO9018
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #6844/01 2981023
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251023Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3067
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0352
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 0716
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0147
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 6620
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY 0157
RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK PRIORITY 0081
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 1139
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1872

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 006844 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CH BM IR RS JA SU TU IZ PK
IS, SN, IN, UZ, TX, BO 
SUBJECT: OCTOBER 25 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: GAMBARI VISIT, J-10 
FIGHTER SALES, DALAI LAMA, CHINESE OIL FIELD IN SUDAN UNDER 
SIEGE, PEACEFUL USE OF OUTER SPACE, UPCOMING SCO PRIME 
MINISTERS' MEETING 
 
 
¶1. Key points at the October 25 MFA Press Briefing: 
 
-- UN Special Envoy Gambari met with Assistant Foreign 
Minister He Yafei, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi and State 
Councilor Tang Jiaxuan on October 24-25. 
 
-- China has taken note of the "untrue and groundless" 
reports in the Russian media that China sold J-10 fighter 
planes to Iran. 
 
-- China will not meet with the Dalai Lama because his desire 
to attain Tibetan independence has never ceased.  China hopes 
the Dalai Lama can match his words with deeds and take a 
correct position on the issue of Tibetan independence. 
 
-- China has noted reports that a Chinese oil field in Sudan 
has been surrounded by rebels and hopes that the relevant 
parties in Sudan take appropriate measures to ensure the 
lives and property of Chinese in Sudan. 
 
-- China views outer space as the commonwealth of all 
humanity and believes it must be used peacefully for the 
benefit of all humankind. 
 
-- Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the Sixth Prime Ministers' 
Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and make 
official visits to Turkmenistan, Belorussia and Russia 
November 2-6. 
 
UN Special Envoy Meets Three PRC Leaders 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. At the October 25 regular MFA press briefing, MFA 
Spokesman Liu Jianchao confirmed that UN Burma Special Envoy 
Ibrahim Gambari met Assistant Foreign Minister (AFM) He 
Yafei, Vice Foreign Minister (VFM) Wang Yi and State 
Councilor Tang Jiaxuan October 24-25.  Liu said AFM He told 
Gambari that China closely follows the situation in Burma and 
China calls upon concerned parties to exercise restraint and 
to handle the issues properly to promote democracy and 
development.  AFM He also told Gambari that Burma has a 
complicated history and the situation there needs to be 
resolved by the government and the people.  The international 
community should remain fair and objective and do more to 
promote dialogue.  AFM He also told Gambari that China 
supports the mediation efforts of the UN Secretary General 
and Gambari.  VFM Wang Yi told Gambari that China hopes the 
relevant parties properly handle the issues and devote 
themselves to peace and stability for Burma.  Gambari told 
VFM Wang and AFM He details of his other meetings in Asia and 
expressed his appreciation for China's support of the 
mediation efforts.  Liu said he did not have any information 
on Gambari's meeting with State Councilor Tang. 
 
¶3. Asked why Gambari had not met with higher-level officials, 
Liu said the form of the consultations did not matter as much 
as the content.  He said China attaches great importance to 
the mediation efforts of Secretary General Ban and Gambari. 
He said the three key PRC officials held in-depth, candid 
discussions with Gambari during his visit and China believes 
the talks will be helpful for the mediation efforts. (See 
also remarks on Burma and Singapore in paragraph 14 below.) 
 
Reports of J-10 Fighter Sales to Iran False 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Liu said China had noted reports in the Russian media that 
China had sold J-10 fighter planes to Iran.  Liu said these 
reports were untrue and China has not sold or discussed 
selling J-10 fighters with Iran. China hopes the Russian 
media will correct this report and report the truth. 
 
No Details on Possibly Detained Tibetan Monks 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. Liu said he had not heard of accusations that Tibetan 
monks who had celebrated the awarding of the Congressional 
Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama had been detained.  Liu referred 
reporters to the relevant Public Security authorities. 
 
 
BEIJING 00006844  002 OF 003 
 
 
Timing for PRC Meetings with the Dalai Lama? 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. Asked when the PRC would be willing to meet with the Dalai 
Lama, given that the Dalai Lama has publicly stated that he 
does not support Tibetan independence and that Deng Xiaoping 
had once stated that the PRC would meet with him if he 
abandoned the cause, Liu said China focuses on the 
"principle" of the situation while the reporter was focusing 
on the "details."  Liu said the "separatist activist" Dalai 
Lama's desire for Tibetan independence has never stopped. 
China hopes the Dalai Lama can match his words with deeds and 
take a correct position on the issue of Tibetan independence. 
 
Threat Against Chinese Oil Field in Sudan 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. Liu said China had noted reports that a Chinese oil field 
in Sudan had been surrounded by reels and hopes that the 
relevant parties in Sudan take appropriate measures to ensure 
the livs and property of Chinese in Sudan.  He added that, 
as far as he knew, Chinese in Sudan were currently safe. 
 
No Action on Turkey/PKK Issue 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8. China is closely following the situation between Turkey 
and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and hopes the relevant 
parties can resolve the issue through dialogue and 
consultation.  China hopes the region can remain stable and 
peaceful, Liu said. 
 
External Pressure on Human Rights Efforts Won't Work 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶9. Responding to a question stating that some in the United 
States were using the upcoming Olympic Games to push for 
improvements in China's human rights record, Liu said China 
does not need external pressure on the human rights issue and 
that external pressure will not produce any results.  He said 
China protects and develops the human rights of its citizens 
at all times and will continue to do so. 
 
UN Death Penalty Ban 
-------------------- 
 
¶10. Responding to a question regarding an effort by the UN to 
ban the death penalty, Liu said he had described China's 
position on the death penalty many times and added that China 
has adopted an "extremely prudent" attitude and has taken 
very serious measures over the past two years.  He said that 
different countries have different national conditions that 
dictate the specific measures they take on the death penalty. 
 
Peaceful Use of Outer Space 
--------------------------- 
 
¶11. Liu said China views outer space as the commonwealth of 
all humanity and believes it must be used peacefully for the 
benefit of all humankind.  He said that China believes the 
October 24 launch of the Chang-E 1 lunar orbiter represents 
an important step for the international community.  Liu said 
he would research an answer regarding China's participation 
in the UN agreement on the peaceful use of the moon. 
 
Reaction to the Suicide Bombing in Pakistan 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶12. China strongly condemns the recent suicide bombing in 
Pakistan and sincerely hopes Pakistan can maintain peace and 
stability, which serves the fundamental interests of the 
Pakistani people, Liu said.  He added that China will 
continue to develop a strategic partnership with Pakistan. 
 
Visits 
------ 
 
¶13. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with FM Yang 
on October 24, Liu said.  He said that the two mainly 
discussed bilateral issues and that he did not know if they 
 
BEIJING 00006844  003 OF 003 
 
 
had discussed the Six-Party Talks.  Liu emphasized, however, 
that China has kept in close communication and consultation 
with the other five parties to the Talks.  The strategic 
partnership between China and Russia is doing well, Liu said. 
 The two sides enjoy strong mutual trust and fruitfully 
cooperate in various fields.  China hopes concentrated 
efforts will yield more positive results in fields such as 
culture and economics.  The partnership has entered a new 
stage over the past year, Liu said, and China hopes to work 
with its Russian counterparts to press ahead with bilateral 
relations. 
 
¶14.  Liu confirmed that Singaporean Foreign Minister George 
Yeo would begin a visit to China on October 26.  He said Yeo 
would meet with FM Yang and the two will discuss bilateral 
relations and the Burma issue.  Liu said China attaches great 
importance to ASEAN's role on the Burma issue.  China hopes 
the two sides will reach consensus and play a constructive 
role in helping Burma realize stability, democracy and 
development. 
 
¶15. Head of the Indian Congress Party Sonia Gandhi is 
currently in China at the invitation of the Chinese Communist 
Party (CCP), Liu said.  She will meet with government and CCP 
leaders.  China attaches great importance to the visit and 
hopes it increases understanding between the two parties and 
the two peoples. 
 
¶16. Liu announced that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipora Livni 
would visit China October 28-30.  Liu said Livni would hold 
talks with FM Yang Jiechi on bilateral relations and regional 
issues of common interest. 
 
¶17. Liu said that Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the Sixth 
Prime Minister's Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation 
Organization and make official visits to Uzbekistan, 
Turkmenistan, Belarus and Russia November 2-6.  In Russia he 
will attend the Twelfth Sino-Russian Prime Ministers regular 
meeting and the closing ceremony of the Year of China in 
Russia. 
Randt