CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: SPANISH POSITION UNCHANGED

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 000987 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2015 TAGS: PHUM PREL CM SP EUN SUBJECT: CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: SPANISH POSITION UNCHANGED REF: STATE 44309 Classified By: Political Officer Ricardo Zuniga for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff met with Enrique Mora Benavente, the Head of EU Policy Planning at the MFA, on March 10 and March 14 to discuss the China arms embargo, reiterating U.S. concerns over human rights violations, the possible transfer of U.S. military technology to China, and the shifting balance of power in the Taiwan Straits. Mora Benavente said the EU Foreign Ministers would not address China at the March 16-17 GAERC meetings. He said that the EU was concerned about the situation in the Taiwan Straits and hoped that any problems could be resolved peacefully. He referred Poloff to a March 14 EU statement that confirms the EU's commitment to a "One China" policy and urges all parties "to avoid any unilateral action which might revive tensions." ¶2. (C) Spain's position regarding lifting the China arms embargo remains unchanged. Spain supports an enhanced code of conduct coupled with a new "toolbox" of measures to exchange information on weapons sales and help regulate European arms sales to China. Mora Benavente said that with the code of conduct and the toolbox arms controls on China would remain as tight as under the embargo. He hoped that the current trip to the U.S., Japan, and Australia of a delegation led by Annalisa Gianella, High Representative Solana's Special Representative for Nonproliferation Issues, would help explain the European position regarding the China arms embargo MANZANARES