From: Aftenposten - 18.04.2007
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 002599
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR DRL, EAP/CM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2032
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, PGOV, CH
SUBJECT: BEIJING HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHERS DISCUSS DIALOGUES,
BERN PROCESS, VATICAN, EXTRADITION TREATIES
REF: A. BEIJING 02342 B. CHENGDU 00077
BEIJING 00002599 001.2 OF 003
Classified By: Political Internal Unit Chief Susan Thornton.
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
Summary
-------
1. (C)
Beijing-based human rights watchers reported that:
-- Chinese officials referred to the Nangpa La Pass
shooting incident on the Nepal border as "an accident"
during the recent UK-China human rights dialogue.
-- Germany will host the 23rd round of the China-EU
human rights dialogue in mid-May in Berlin.
-- China is willing to resume a human rights dialogue
with Japan if the dialogue avoids "internal domestic
issues" and Japan does not participate in meetings of
China´s human rights dialogue partners.
-- The status of the Sino-Swiss human rights dialogue
is unclear, though some Swiss rule of law projects are
proceeding outside the scope of the dialogue.
-- The EU plans to host the next meeting of China´s
human rights dialogue partners (the former Bern
Process) late this summer in Brussels, but MFA
officials continue to warn that participation in Bern
Process-type meetings will adversely impact human
rights dialogues.
-- The Vatican will participate in the 3rd ASEM
Interfaith Dialogue set for June 19-21 in Nanjing and
a SARA official said German-Vatican cooperation on
bishop appointments would be an acceptable model for
China.
--Japan and China will soon negotiate an extradition
treaty. End Summary.
Human Rights Dialogues:
Great Britain, EU, Japan, Switzerland and Canada
------------------------------------------------------
2. (C)
British Embassy xxxx
said at a recent human rights watchers meeting that
the 15th round of the UK-China human rights dialogue
went forward on February 5-6 in London. MFA IO Human
Rights Special Representative/DDG Shen Yongxiang led
the Chinese delegation, which also included a large
delegation of representatives from the Ministry of
Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme
People´s Court and the State Council Information
Office. MFA officials from both the IO and the
European Affairs Departments attended, which xxxx
said may presage a shift in responsibility for
handling the human rights dialogue from IO to the
European Affairs Department.
3. (C)
British and Chinese officials discussed NGO
registration procedures, the SPC´s reassumption of
death penalty review powers and Internet freedom. The
British agreed to provide information about NGO
registration procedures in Great Britain. The SPC
said procedures for death penalty cases are still
evolving, and it may publish more about the
procedures. Chinese officials, discussing Internet
censorship, compared the Government´s role in
regulating Internet content to that of an "industry
watchdog." Two All-China Lawyers Association defense
attorneys, whose participation was funded by the
British Embassy, led a "very technical" discussion of
how Chinese criminal procedure law protects
defendants´ rights. The Chinese side gave substantive
responses to 35 of 45 cases on a prisoner list British
Embassy officials passed to the MFA in early January,
though Shen became defensive when asked about
inaccuracies in the responses. Dr. Shen referred to
the Nangpa Pass shooting incident as "an accidental
incident." (Note: In the most recent response to the
Embassy on this incident, TAR authorities stated that
the shooting was a matter of "illegal border
crossers." End note.) Chinese officials requested a
reduction in the number of dialogue rounds from two
per year to one per year, though no decision on this
has been taken. xxxx said the dialogue was "tense
at certain moments" but "cordial by the time it ended."
4. (C)
Germany will host the 23rd round of the China-
EU human rights dialogue in mid-May in Berlin,
according to Germany Embassy xxxx.
The dialogue round will include a legal experts
seminar on May 10-11 as well as dialogue sessions and
a field trip on May 15-16. xxxx reported that the
Chinese delegation, to be headed by IO Director
General Wu Hailong, wants to discuss the EU´s
participation in ongoing meetings of China´s human
rights dialogue partners as an "off agenda" item.
5. (C)
Japanese Embassy xxxx reported that China is willing to resume
its human rights dialogue with Japan on condition that the
dialogue will not include "internal domestic issues." MFA IO
xxxx clarified that, as a further prerequisite to discussions,
Japan must agree not to participate in meetings of China´s
human rights dialogue partners. Dong added that any country´s
participation in the former Bern Process will have an adverse
impact on that country´s bilateral relationship with China.
"There will be different impacts," xxxx said, "for different
countries."
6. (C)
xxxx said Switzerland is still "unclear" about the status of
its human rights dialogue with China following the Chinese
Government´s demands in late 2006 that Switzerland forego a
"leadership role" in the Bern Process. Swiss Embassy officials
later told the MFA that Switzerland had complied with Chinese
demands but Chinese officials then complained that Switzerland
still operates the Bern Process´ secure website. The
Sino-Swiss human rights dialogue remains on hold, but China
has not made any clear statement indicating that Switzerland
must make additional concessions. Some rule of law projects
funded by the Swiss Government, which were previously
suspended by the Chinese, are now moving forward outside the
scope of the Sino-Swiss human rights dialogue. Chinese MPS
officials interested in prison management are still planning
an exchange visit to Switzerland in early 2007.
7. (C)
Canadian Embassy xxxx said her office has had little
productive exchange on human rights with Chinese officials
since the MFA´s North American Division assumed responsibility
for administering the Sino-Canadian human rights
dialogue. xxxx said she was surprised by a statement appearing
in an EU-drafted readout of the March 26 meeting of China´s
human rights dialogue partners that the Sino-Canadian human
rights dialogue has been suspended. Though no further rounds
of dialogue have been scheduled, xxxx said her Embassy is not
aware of any formal decision to suspend. The Canadian
Government, xxxx said, has scheduled parliamentary hearings to
discuss Canada´s engagement with China on human rights. xxxx
previously told xxxx that if Canada wants China to give a high
priority to its bilateral dialogue, it will have to give up
participation in the Bern Process.
Next Meeting of China´s Human Rights Dialogue Partners
------------------------------------------------------
8. (C)
EU representative xxxx said that the EU will host the next
"non-meeting" of China´s human rights dialogue partners late
this summer in Brussels, where there is "less exposure." If
the EU cannot host the meeting, Germany will host. Norway,
xxxx said, is under pressure not to host a meeting. Norway
Embassy representative xxxx confirmed that in early February
an official attached to China´s UN Mission in Geneva
encouraged Norway to "stay away" from the Bern Process. Norway
has since decided that it cannot host a meeting of China´s
human rights dialogue partners in 2007.
Vatican Participation In ASEM Interfaith Dialogue
--------------------------------------------------
9. (C)
Italian Embassy representative xxxx said that the 3rd ASEM
(Asia-Europe Meeting) Interfaith Dialogue will go forward June
19-21 in Nanjing. xxxx told poloff on April 16 that the
Vatican confirmed its interest and availability in
participating, following a suggestion from the Chinese that
the Vatican join the dialogue. Italy and China are
"co-chairing" the dialogue. Italian officials initially
objected to inclusion of the word "harmony" in the title of
the conference, given the "political meaning" of the term, but
have since dropped this objection. Separately, xxxx reported
that SARA Foreign Affairs Deputy Division Director Liu
Jinguang recently referred approvingly to cooperation between
Germany and the Vatican on selection of bishops. Liu said the
German "model" would be "acceptable in China."
Extradition Treaties: Japan and France
--------------------------------------
10. (C)
Japan´s xxxx reported that Japan and China will "soon"
negotiate an extradition treaty as part of the joint
cooperation announced during Premier Wen Jiabao´s recent visit
to Japan. French Embassy representative xxxx said that
France´s extradition treaty with China includes a provision
requiring review of extradition proceedings both by police
officials and by judicial authorities. The Chinese agreed to
this provision only after protracted negotiations.
RANDT