C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001698

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM CM FR EUN
SUBJECT: CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: FRENCH POSITIONS UNCHANGED

REF: STATE 044309

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reason 1
.4 b/d


1. (C) As per reftel instructions, we raised with MFA
DAS-level Director for East Asia Marc Abensour the upcoming
visit to Europe of the Chinese Foreign Minister Li and
reiterated the U.S. position against the lifting of the EU
arms embargo, as well as our concerns on human rights, and
the need for China to exercise restraint in the cross-Strait
relations. In response to our questions, Abensour said that
the issue of public statements on the arms embargo during
Li's visit is still under discussion. The EU can be expected
to raise human rights and regional issues, he added.


2. (U) Abensour also referred us to the MFA's spokesperson's
office for the MFA's March 14 response to a journalist's
question on whether "China's vote on the anti-secession law
would not lead the Government of France and the EU to
reconsider its position towards the arms embargo." The
spokesperson's answer, informally translated below, states:

"I do not see the link between the two points of your
question. On the embargo and the sale of weapons, our
position is well known and the aim remains the same as was
enunciated by the European Council on 16-17 December, 2004.
With respect to the law just adopted by the Chinese Popular
National Assembly, there is an ongoing dialog among the
Europeans."


3. (C) Separately, in an unrelated discussion on Asia with
the MFA's policy planning expert on Asian Affairs (protect),
he ventured that subsequent to the President's and the
Secretary's successful visits to Europe, EU members may have

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misunderstood the ongoing importance that the United States
placed on maintaining the embargo. This erroneous impression
also applies to the EU's relations with Japan, he added. The
Japanese are now lobbying hard across Europe making their
opposition to the embargo more clearly known.
Leach