VZCZCXRO8164
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #0845/01 0670934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 070934Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5542
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 3312
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 4279
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA IMMEDIATE 0023
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM IMMEDIATE 0206
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1978

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000845 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPKO MARR UNSC SU CH
SUBJECT: PRC SPECIAL ENVOY LIU GUIJIN ON CHINESE POLICY 
TOWARD DARFUR 
 
Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Solving the situation in Darfur requires 
pressure from the international community on both the 
Government of Sudan and rebel forces, Chinese Special Envoy 
for Darfur Liu Guijin said in a March 7 briefing for 
diplomats and the press on his February 21-March 6 trip to 
the UK, France, Chad and Sudan.  Rebel forces in Darfur seek 
an "everlasting war" situation to increase their influence, 
he said.  Contrary to negative press reporting, the 
Government of Sudan has taken steps to overcome technical 
difficulties in UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) 
deployment, but issues related to Troop Contributing 
Countries and helicopters remain outstanding.  China is not 
the largest supplier of arms to Africa and follows strict 
policies regarding who is eligible to purchase arms.  Linking 
arms sales to the Olympics is "not fair."  China has made 
many constructive contributions to Darfur, including in the 
areas of water supply, power stations, temporary schools and 
homes, and financial donations to the UN and AU.  China is 
providing engineers to Darfur, but does not plan to provide 
combat troops at this time.  China's position on Darfur is 
fundamentally the same as that of Western nations; there are 
differences only in the means and priorities to go about 
achieving the goals of peace and stability in the region, Liu 
argued.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Chinese Special Envoy for Darfur Liu Guijin briefed 
Beijing-based journalists and diplomats March 7, following 
his just-completed trip to the UK, Sudan, Chad and France. 
 
Strategy for Solving Darfur Problem 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Liu said that to reach a solution in Darfur, the 
international community must: 
 
-- remember that Darfur is part of Sudan's sovereign 
territory; 
-- convince rebels to cooperate, negotiate and stop attacking 
government troops; 
-- increase coordination between and among the Sudanese 
government, the rebels, and peacekeepers to overcome 
remaining technical obstacles to UNAMID deployment; 
-- pay more attention to the nations surrounding Sudan, 
because rebel groups are spread across borders; and 
-- make coherent efforts and not send the wrong message to 
rebels. 
 
Liu added that the Sudanese Government should "be more 
sincere" in solving outstanding issues and be more receptive 
to outside suggestions.  The Sudanese government should 
particularly take steps to decrease casualties in the region, 
he said. 
 
Deteriorating Western Darfur: Blame the Rebels 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶4. (U) Liu Guijin blamed the current deterioration of the 
security situation in western Darfur on the rebels.  In 
December 2007, Liu said, rebels began attacking government 
troops, resulting in retaliation that led to casualties.  Liu 
said he expressed to Sudanese President Bashir Chinese 
concerns regarding the deteriorating security situation in 
western Darfur and subsequent loss of life in the region. 
Liu said the security situation is extremely complicated and 
urged the international community to put pressure on all 
parties to end the violence.  China has been using its 
influence to improve the situation, but rebel groups feel 
they gain influence by creating an "everlasting war" 
situation.  To solve the situation, all parties should 
participate in a political solution. 
 
Technical Delays: Some Solved . . . 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Liu said many technical problems are delaying 
deployment of UNAMID troops, but that many previous problems 
have now been solved.  Liu cited the February signing of a 
Status of Forces Agreement; clearance for night flights; new 
land-use rights, which the Sudanese Government had 
systematically purchased from local tribes and granted to 
UNAMID; smoother customs clearance for items related to 
peacekeeping; and better access for peacekeeping personnel. 
 
BEIJING 00000845  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
. . . But Some Still Outstanding 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Liu said two issues remain to be solved to speed 
troop deployment.  He said Khartoum must be more flexible on 
Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) and allow Thai and Nepali 
soldiers to participate.  Liu said if Khartoum is more 
flexible, peacekeeping forces will have more leeway should 
some African troops not meet necessary standards.  In 
addition, peacekeeping forces still need helicopters, Liu 
said.  (Note:  At this point, Liu lost his temper, shouting 
that Sudan had in fact taken many steps to aid UNAMID 
deployment and that journalists should be more professional 
and report in a balanced and honest way.) 
 
Allegations of Chinese Arms Sales 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Liu said China has strict standards on arms sales. 
China will only sell arms to States, not to non-State actors 
or liberation movements, limits the quantities of arms sold 
and strictly checks end-users to ensure that arms are not 
passed to third parties.  Conceding that some Chinese weapons 
had been found in Darfur, he compared them to the 
approximately 190,000 U.S.-manufactured arms he said are in 
the hands of Iraqi insurgents.  He said China has not accused 
the U.S. Government of supplying those arms to Iraqi 
insurgents, but they prove that a government cannot guarantee 
arms will not end up in the hands of rebels.  Liu also cited 
NGO reports that the United States is the single largest 
supplier of arms to Africa.  According to these reports, 
China supplied only three percent of all arms sales to the 
continent of Africa, behind the United States, the UK, Russia 
and Germany.  (Note: Liu again lost his temper when 
discussing arms sales, shouting that linking arms sales to 
the Olympics is "not fair.") 
 
China's Aid to Darfur 
--------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Asked what specific projects China had undertaken to 
improve the situation in Darfur, Liu said that he visited a 
Chinese water supply project to drill 85 wells to provide 
clean drinking water in southern Sudan.  He said the Chinese 
government also provided about 20 small power stations and 
donated about USD 11 million for ambulances and land rovers. 
Chinese engineers, the first non-African troops to arrive in 
Darfur, have built makeshift houses and schools and are 
preparing the way for other troops to arrive.  The second 
tranche of Chinese engineers will deploy soon, once the UN 
gives orders for them to do so, Liu said.  China has always 
supported the UN and African Union in Darfur and has 
contributed USD 500 thousand to their efforts. 
 
China's Position the Same as Western Countries 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶9. (U) China's position in Darfur is fundamentally the same 
as that of Western nations, Liu said.  China agrees on the 
need to speed deployment of the UNAMID force, to reach a 
political solution and to unite the international community 
to exert equal pressure on the Sudanese Government and rebel 
forces.  China differs with Western nations only on the means 
of implementing these goals.  China has been working to 
create a positive environment of mutual understanding so that 
all parties can work constructively together, despite 
differences on modalities. 
 
Engineers, Not Combat Troops 
---------------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) Asked about an alleged statement by Secretary Rice 
that China is ready to provide combat troops in Darfur, Liu 
said that he is unaware of any such plans.  China is focusing 
on deploying the remaining engineers to China to fulfill 
previously stated commitments. 
 
Darfur: Is It Genocide? 
----------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) Asked about the term "genocide" in Darfur, including 
its use in the phrase "Genocide Olympics," Liu said the 
situation in Darfur is so undeniably severe that there is no 
 
BEIJING 00000845  003 OF 003 
 
 
need to debate semantics.  China is saddened by the loss of 
life and gives considerable amounts of humanitarian 
assistance to the region.  As for the term "Genocide 
Olympics," China welcomes advice, as well as constructive 
comments or criticism of its policies.  However, China 
opposes groups that criticize China with the sole aim of 
tarnishing China's image.  China is, however, willing to hold 
dialogues with critics, and Liu noted that he met the "Save 
Darfur" Coalition during his last trip to the United States. 
 
Meeting with Rebels 
------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) Liu said China does not have formal contact with 
rebel groups, but he met some rebels engaged in the political 
peace process, including Minni Minnawi of the Sudanese 
Liberation Movement (SLM), who now works as Senior Assistant 
to Sudanese President Bashir.  In southern Darfur, Liu met 
leaders from the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement 
(SPLM), the SLM and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). 
In these meetings, he aimed to convey China's desire to be 
friends with all of the Sudanese people. 
 
House Resolution: No Olympic Travel 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (U) Responding to a question on a report of a proposed 
U.S. Congressional resolution to bar funding for U.S. 
Government travel to the Olympics aside from that of 
President Bush, Liu reminded journalists that politicization 
is not in keeping with the spirit of the Olympics.  He quoted 
the German Olympic Committee President as saying "sports 
should be a bridge to connect people."  The international 
community understands that China is being constructive in 
Darfur, and any connection of Darfur t the Olympics is 
unreasonable.  People who lik problems in UNAMID deployment 
to the Olympics are only trying to defame China, Liu 
concluded. 
RANDT