IRISH/CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: NOT RIPE TO LIFT YET

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001633

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2014
TAGS: MARR PARM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: IRISH/CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: NOT RIPE TO LIFT YET


Classified By: Charge Jon Benton for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. On October 19, a delegation comprised of
State DRL and PM and DoD J-5 visited members of the Irish
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),Parliament, and Amnesty
International-Irish Section, to argue against the EU lifting
its arms embargo against China. Until recently, Irish
officials had said that the embargo would be lifted unless
the UK blocked it. This time, they said that no EU decision
is imminent, and they described the EU as slowly and
carefully reviewing whether to lift the embargo. EU
governments, the Irish said, are increasingly concerned about
non-proliferation and security, while parliaments and the
public largely oppose lifting the embargo on human rights
grounds. Cliona Manahan, Director for Asia and the Pacific,
said the Irish government is concerned that lifting the
embargo would adversely affect security in the region and
send the Chinese the wrong signal on human rights. She said
the GoI makes those points in the EU. The Irish parliament
and Amnesty International clearly supported maintaining the
embargo. Comment: The Irish government was much more
forthcoming this time, even going so far as to say that it
would not be "ripe" to lift the embargo now. However, it
studiously avoided saying that it opposes lifting the
embargo. We suspect that while Ireland is willing to raise
concerns within the EU, it would not as a small country be at
the center of opposition, nor be willing to be the sole
nay-sayer. End Summary and Comment.

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DFA Sees Little Progress on Human Rights;
Shares Security Concerns
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2. (C) Cliona Manahan, Director for Asia and the Pacific,
said that China has made only limited improvements in its
human rights situation. She said that 15 years after
Tianaman, there are persistent problems with torture,
continued "re-education" through labor camps, and lack of
progress on UN human rights mechanisms. In general, she
said, the increasing openness of the economy and society has
not extended to civic or political life. To lift the embargo
now, Manahan said, would be seen by China as vindication of
its token improvement in human rights and a sign of
diminished EU interest in human rights. At the same time,
she said, the Irish parliament and public remain deeply
concerned about human rights in China, including the
situation in Tibet and of the Falun Gong, and about
ramifications for Taiwan.

3.(C) In response to the U.S. description of security
concerns, the Irish said that they shared those concerns and
raised them regularly within the EU. Interestingly, they
offered that Ireland does not see lifting the embargo as
necessary for gaining investment opportunities. Business,
Manahan said, is booming anyway. She also said that adding
human rights clauses to a renewed U.S.-EU technical
cooperation agreement would give the U.S. and EU another tool
with respect to third countries.

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EU's Next Steps
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4. (C) Manahan said that the EU is sensing "dialogue
fatigue" among the Chinese. She suggested that it would be
helpful to convene the Bern group so that all countries
holding human rights dialogues could compare notes and
coordinate future actions. Ireland, she said, is beginning
to wonder whether China engages in dialogue for optics only,
with no intention of making changes. Unfortunately, she
said, the EU's review of China's human rights situation was
done at the same time as Iran's, and China looked good in
comparison. Similarly, some in the EU consider that lifting
the embargo on Libya sets a precedent for China. She noted
that China is playing a very aggressive diplomatic game in a
wide range of contacts in EU member states and international
organizations. She also said the EU is grappling with what
it means, in the 21st century, to have a "strategic
partnership" with a country such as China. A strategic
partnership would seem to be one without arms embargos
attached. While human rights arguments work well with the
public, who in turn put pressure on governments, she said
that among governments and elites, the political/military
arguments against lifting the embargo are more effective.

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Parliament
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5. (SBU) Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the
Irish Parliament welcomed the opportunity to receive the U.S.
delegation and to discuss the EU arms embargo against China.
They said that Ireland is especially interested in this
matter as it pertains to human rights, an important subject
for the Irish public. The parliamentarians noted that some
progress has been achieved in human rights, but not enough.
Dr. Michael Woods, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
stated that China has made considerable progress in
socio-economic terms, but concerns remain in terms of freedom
of the press, assembly, and religion. Woods also expressed
concern with Internet restrictions and violations of minority
rights. According to Woods, China is sending a mixed picture
at best; the progress is commendable, but not enough.
Another member of parliament, Bernard Allen, raised regional
security issues surrounding Taiwan and expressed concern that
the lifting of the embargo might start a new Asian arms race.

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Amnesty International
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6. (SBU) In a meeting with Amnesty International's Irish
Section, Director Sean Love voiced the same concerns about
human rights as the DFA and parliament. At the same time, he
voiced his frustration at the lack of interest at the
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in requiring
corporate responsibility for human rights in trade
agreements. In a separate follow-up conversation with
emboff, a DETE official confirmed that there is no
requirement for Irish businesses to raise human rights in
their commercial dealings with China. He also noted that
there are no Irish plans to sell weapons to the Chinese.

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Players Involved
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7. (U) Members of Parliament and Government officials:
Dr. Michael Woods, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
(Fianna Fail),Dan Wallace, Former Lord Mayor of Cork (Fianna
Fail),and Bernard Allen (Fine Gael). The delegation also
met with senior members of the DFA, including Cliona Manahan,
Director of Asia and Pacific, Mary O'Connor-EU External
Relations, Sean O'Regan-Human Rights, and Paul
Barnwell-Disarmament and Nonproliferation. A further meeting
convened with Amnesty International's Irish Section.
BENTON