VZCZCXRO7297
OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #5793/01 2470927
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 040927Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1509
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0146
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 005793
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC KPKO SU CH
SUBJECT: PRC URGES USG TO CONVINCE U.S. CONGRESS, MEDIA AND
PEOPLE TO STOP LINKING DARFUR TO THE OLYMPICS
(U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly.
Not for internet distribution.
1. (SBU) The U.S. Government should engage the American
people, Congress and media and urge them to stop politicizing
the Darfur issue and linking it to the Olympics, Assistant
Foreign Minister Affairs Zhai Jun says in an August 31 letter
to AF Assistant Secretary Frazer. The letter, delivered to
the DCM by Deputy Director General for West Asian and North
African Affairs Song Aiguo on September 4, says great
progress has been made in Sudan, citing the adoption of UNSC
Resolution 1769 and the meeting of rebel groups in Arusha,
Tanzania, and conveys AFM Zhai's view that "the Darfur
situation is moving in a direction of resolution." Noting
that the Darfur issue is too complicated to solve overnight,
the letter expresses Chinese commitment to continuing
cooperation and coordination with the United States.
2. (SBU) The text of the MFA-provided English translation of
AFM Zhai's letter follows below. Post will send the original
Chinese-language version to EAP/CM via pouch.
Begin letter:
31 August 2007
The Honorable Jendayi E. Frazer
Assistant Secretary of State of the United States of America
Washington D.C.
Dear Madam Assistant Secretary,
I was glad to receive your letter and wish to thank you for
your hospitality extended to me and my colleagues during our
visit to the United States last March. We had an in-depth
exchange of views on the Darfur issue, which helped us better
understand each other's position. I wish to stay in close
touch with you on issues of mutual interest.
As you know, encouraging progress has been made on the Darfur
issue since our meeting. The Sudanese Government reached
agreement with the United Nations and the African Union in
April and June on the second and third phases of the Annan
Plan through dialogue and consultation on an equal footing.
The Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1769 on
31 July 2007 on authorizing the deployment of the hybrid
mission in Darfur, marking an important step towards
resolving the Darfur issue. The UN and the AU have drawn up
a road map for advancing political process in Darfur.
Responding to the initiative of the UN and the AU, many
opposition groups in Darfur met in Arusha, Tanzania, early
this month and reached agreement on implementing the road map
and starting negotiations with the government as soon as
possible. My view is that the Darfur situation is moving in
a direction of resolution. This is the result of
coordination and joint efforts of China, the United States
and the entire international community.
I am sure you will agree with the view that the Darfur issue
cannot be resolved overnight, as it involves many
complicating factors. However, if the international
community makes concerted efforts to maintain the current
good momentum, gives full play to the role of the
consultation mechanism among the Sudanese Government, the UN
and the AU as the main channel, sticks to the dual-track
strategy, makes balanced progress in the peacekeeping
operations and the political process, and provides more
humanitarian and development assistance to Darfur, I am sure
that the Darfur issue can be resolved.
The Chinese Government is committed to resolving the Darfur
issue and has made unremitting efforts, contributing to major
progress made on the issue. We are making active
preparations for sending the multi-functional engineering
unit to Darfur. What has caused my deep concern, however, is
that some people in the United States are making unwarranted
charges against China regarding the Darfur issue. The Darfur
issue is neither China's domestic problem, nor China's
making, and it is absolutely unacceptable to link the Darfur
issue with the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The attempt to
politicize the Olympic Games runs counter to the Olympic
spirit and is detrimental to the interests of the American
people and people of the whole world. I hope that you and
the U.S. government will appreciate what China has done,
engage the U.S. Congress, the general public and the media
and urge them to view China's constructive role on the Darfur
issue in an objective and fair manner. This will help
strengthen the coordination and cooperation between our two
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countries as we work to resolve the Darfur issue. China's
Special Representative on Darfur will soon visit the United
States. China will continue to work with the United States
and the rest of the international community to bring about an
early solution to the Darfur issue.
With warm regards,
Zhai Jun
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's
Republic of China
End Text of Letter.
Randt