VZCZCXRO6904
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #2141 2080846
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270846Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5379
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BEIJING 002141 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, C 
HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR (J007) 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR PREL ECON CH
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-CHINA S&ED DIALOGUE, NORTH KOREA, THE 
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 
 
-------------------- 
  Editorial Quotes 
-------------------- 
 
¶1.  U.S.-CHINA S&ED DIALOGUE 
 
"The first round of the U.S.-China S&ED will start with a good 
opening" 
 
The official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao) (07/27): 
"The first round of the S&ED symbolizes the new era and structure of 
the U.S.-China relationship.  The dialogue has three 
characteristics.  First, it is high-level and large-scale, and has 
aroused international attention.  Vice Premier Wang Qishan - along 
with more than 100 other Chinese officials - will attend the 
dialogue for China as the representative of President Hu Jintao; 
Secretary Clinton will represent President Obama for the United 
States.  Such a high-level dialogue will surely get the world's 
attention.  Second, the topics are broad and will address a variety 
of concerns.  The main topic of discussion will be how the two 
countries can cooperate to deal with the international financial 
crisis.  Regarding other urgent global challenges, the biggest 
developed country (the U.S.) and the biggest developing country 
(China) will exchange views on a wide-range of political, security, 
and economic issues.  This is necessary and inevitable.  Third, the 
dialogue is a good start.  It is very significant and fits the 
common interests of the two countries.  The U.S.-China relationship 
has been consistently gaining momentum since Obama took office and 
both countries have taken positive actions to further strengthen the 
relationship.  The S&ED has become the new direction in developing 
the bilateral relationship." 
 
¶2.  NORTH KOREA 
 
"War of Words between the U.S. and North Korea" 
 
The official Communist Youth League China Youth Daily (Zhongguo 
Qingnianbao) (07/27): "The war of words between U.S. Secretary of 
State Clinton and North Korea has made the confrontation between the 
U.S. and North Korea more prominent.  It has also cast a shadow over 
the future of the North Korean nuclear issue.  Analysts said it is 
inappropriate for Secretary Clinton, as the top U.S. diplomat, to 
make insulting comments to a sovereign nation even when clarifying 
the nature of the North Korean nuclear issue and the U.S.'s stance 
on this issue.  The unnecessary conflict her comments caused will 
not be helpful in resolving this issue.  While Secretary Clinton 
also left a door open for negotiations, North Korean officials have 
declared that the Six-Party Talks are now dead.  Analysts believe 
that North Korea's recent tough stance towards the U.S. is due to 
the fact that North Korea wants to make the nuclear issue a 
bilateral issue between itself and the U.S.  If the U.S. continues 
to insist on denuclearization first while North Korea insists on the 
U.S. first stopping its "hostile policies," it will be difficult for 
the North Korean issue to emerge from its current impasse." 
 
¶3.  THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS 
 
"Senior U.S. officials promote peace in the Middle East on three 
separate visits" 
 
The official popular newspaper Beijing Youth Daily (Beijing 
Qingnianbao) (07/27): "Gates will start his first visit to Israel as 
Defense Secretary and U.S. Middle East envoy Mitchell will pay his 
second visit to Syria since Obama took the office.  The Middle East 
peace process is the major focus of these senior U.S. officials' 
visits, especially Mitchell's visit to Syria.  It shows that the 
Obama administration is urging more Arab countries to help restart 
the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks as part of the Middle East peace 
process.  Mitchell indicated that Syria has a critical role to play 
in achieving Middle East peace.  Although U.S.-Syrian relations have 
improved, the Obama Administration announced recently that it will 
continue the Bush Administration's sanctions against Syria.  Syrian 
Foreign Affairs Minister said Syria hopes Mitchell's visit can be 
the beginning of dialogue between the two countries." 
 
GOLDBERG