US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV2329

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 002329 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KNNP, CH, IS, IR, IN, GOI EXTERNAL, MILITARY RELATIONS, COUNTERTERRORISM 
SUBJECT: ISRAEL-PRC STRATEGIC DIALOGUE FOCUSSES ON IRAN AND 
THE DPRK 
 
REF: BEIJING 6059 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Norm Olsen; 
reasons: 1.4 (B) and (D) . 
 
1. (C) Summary: Israeli MFA Director General Ron Proser 
(D-equivalent) led a GOI team to China April 3-5 for a 
strategic dialogue on arms control and terrorism issues.  MFA 
Arms Control Director Alon Bar briefed poloff on the talks 
after the team's return to Israel.  Bar's assessment, which 
tracks closely with Embassy Beijing's report (reftel), is 
that the dialogue facilitated a "good exchange of views," but 
did not produce any concrete results.  According to Bar, the 
Chinese raised Israeli defense exports to India and Taiwan, 
but did not mention recent Chinese-Israeli disputes such as 
the Phalcon case.  The GOI urged China to support the 
EU-3/USG approach to Iran, while PRC officials recommended 
patience in dealing with North Korea.  The two sides also 
discussed terrorism and arms control issues.  Bar said that 
the strategic dialogue would continue, although neither side 
proposed a date for the next meeting.  End Summary. 
 
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Chinese Raise Defense Exports to India and Taiwan 
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2. (C) According to Bar, PRC officials did not raise the 
issue of Israeli military sales to China.  He noted, however, 
that during meetings with a quasi-governmental research 
institute, the Chinese had expressed concerns about Israeli 
defense exports to India and Taiwan.  He said the Chinese 
cautioned the Israelis "not to encourage a regional arms 
race" and objected strongly to any missile defense sales to 
Taiwan.  In response, the GOI team briefed the Chinese MFA on 
their overall view of the ballistic missile threat and the 
development of the Arrow ballistic missile defense system. 
Bar said the Chinese replied that efforts should focus on 
nonproliferation activities, not missile defense. 
 
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Israelis Push on Iran; Chinese Urge Patience with the DPRK 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
3. (C) Bar said that the meeting with Chinese VFM Zhang Yesui 
focused on Iran, the Middle East peace process, and 
Lebanon/Syria, while other meetings at the MFA dealt largely 
with Iran and North Korea.  Proser urged the Chinese to "stay 
on board" with the EU-3 and U.S. approach to Iran.  According 
to Bar, Zhang strongly supported Iran's right to a peaceful 
nuclear program, agreed with international efforts to prevent 
Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, and was vague on 
whether China would support Iranian efforts to obtain some 
level of an enrichment process.  Bar said that the GOI 
delegation left with the impression that China would not want 
to see the issue brought to the UNSC, but "wouldn't stand 
alone to protect Iran" if a majority of Council members had a 
different view.  He added that the Chinese had urged patience 
in dealing with North Korea and told the Israelis that there 
is "little chance for progress" without direct U.S.-DPRK 
talks. 
 
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Other Issues: Terrorism, MANPADS and Arms Control 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
4. (C) Noting that terrorism was intended to be one of the 
main agenda items in the strategic dialogue, Bar expressed 
surprise that it had been barely discussed at all.  He 
claimed that the Chinese had regressed from their previous 
position and spoken vaguely about differences between 
"ideological" and "economic" terrorism.  Bar said that the 
GOI team raised MANPADS, but their points did not elicit a 
reply from the Chinese.  Bar listed other issues covered 
during the dialogue as the Conference on Disarmament (CD), 
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference and the Hague 
Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation 
(HCOC).  According to Bar, the Chinese reiterated their 
opposition to the USG's Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty 
(FMCT) proposal and maintained that the "A5" language was the 
best basis for consensus.  Bar noted that both sides had 
agreed to continue the strategic dialogue, but had not set a 
date for the next meeting. 
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