Cablegate: Tip: Prc Response to Usg Concerns Prior to Beijing Commit

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OO RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #7446 3460208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120208Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3958
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 5734
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 3690
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0948
RUEHVN/AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 4172
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 8858
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 4669
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0050

UNCLAS BEIJING 007446

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM ELAB PGOV PREL CH BU
SUBJECT: TIP: PRC RESPONSE TO USG CONCERNS PRIOR TO BEIJING COMMIT
MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 162327

1. (SBU) PolOff delivered reftel points on the Coordinated Mekong
Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking (COMMIT) to Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Treaty and Law Division Deputy Director Xu Yu on
December 3.

2. (SBU) Noting that he shared our points with the Ministry of
Public Security and other MFA offices, Xu said in a follow-up
conversation on December 11 that China welcomed our views and takes
U.S. concerns seriously. The COMMIT agenda, he said, was agreed to
by the COMMIT member states during earlier preparatory meetings in
Bangkok. He wondered why North Koreans were mentioned in our points
since COMMIT deals with the Mekong region. Some do not consider
North Koreans to be refugees, he said, although he acknowledged that
others might see them as trafficking victims. Should any U.S.
concerns not be addressed during the Beijing COMMIT meeting, he
suggested addressing these issues at the appropriate U.S.-China law
enforcement sub-dialogue. Xu did not know if a joint statement
would be issued following the Ministerial.

3. (SBU) When asked if China's National Action Plan on trafficking
in persons would be released during the COMMIT, Xu demurred, saying
only that the event would certainly be a good time for China to
release its plan.

RANDT

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