OCTOBER 9 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: BURMA UNREST, SIX-PARTY TALKS, IAEA INDIA VISIT, CURRENCY EXCHANGE

UNCLASSIFIED UNCLAS BEIJING 006540 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL, PGOV, CH, IN, KN, BM SUBJECT: OCTOBER 9 MFA PRESS BRIEFING: BURMA UNREST, SIX-PARTY TALKS, IAEA INDIA VISIT, CURRENCY EXCHANGE 1. Key points at the October 9 MFA Press Briefing: -- Burma has "become calmer" through the efforts of both the Burmese government and the international community. Any action by the UN Security Council should be "cautious and prudent" and calculated to promote "stability" within Burma. The "pressure of sanctions" will not help. China has adopted a "constructive" policy on Burma, and critics of China's policy should not attempt "to reach ulterior motives" by linking it to the 2008 Olympics. -- China applauds cooperation achieved through the Six-Party Talks and will play a "constructive, positive" role in efforts in support of peace on the Korean Peninsula. -- China believes countries may cooperate in the "peaceful" development of nuclear energy, the spokesman said in response to a question on IAEA Director General ElBaradei's visit to India. -- China will continue to adopt a "floating exchange rate" policy; China's currency has already appreciated by nine percent against the dollar. Burma Unrest ------------ 2. At the October 9 regular MFA press briefing, the MFA spokesman said that China, along with the rest of the international community, "closely follows" events in Burma (Note: the spokesman referred to Burma as Myanmar). Burma, he said, has "become calmer" through the efforts of both the government there and the international community. China hopes the situation in Burma will continue to "develop positively." Any action by the UN Security Council involving Burma should be "cautious and prudent," and should be calculated to promote "stability" within Burma. The "pressure of sanctions," he said, will not help to resolve issues in the country. China has adopted a "constructive" policy on Burma, and critics of China's policy should not attempt "to reach ulterior motives" by linking it to the 2008 Olympics. Six-Party Talks --------------- 3. The MFA spokesman affirmed China's strong interest in peace on the Korean Peninsula. China applauds cooperation achieved through the Six-Party Talks. China will play a "constructive, positive" role in the international community's efforts to support peace on the Korean Peninsula. "Relevant parties" are discussing steps required to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and move forward with a "peace process" in Northeast Asia. IAEA Visit to India ------------------- 4. Asked about International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's four-day visit now underway in India, the spokesman said China holds the view that countries may legitimately cooperate in the "peaceful" development of nuclear energy. Currency Exchange ----------------- 5. The spokesman acknowledged that many countries have expressed concerns over China's currency exchange policies. But, he noted, the Yuan has already appreciated by nine percent against the dollar. The spokesman said that China will continue to adopt a "floating exchange rate" policyand welcomes more dialogue on this topic. Pccuta