EU CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: FRENCH TELL JAPANESE EU

S E C R E T PARIS 000630

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015
TAGS: PREL MARR ETTC CH FR JA
SUBJECT: EU CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: FRENCH TELL JAPANESE EU
READY TO LIFT IN MARCH

REF: A. LUXEMBOURG 70


B. PARIS 547

C. STATE 17707

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) Japanese political Officer Korehito Masuda (strictly
protect) told poloff that during a Jan. 31 Paris meeting
between GOF MFA Deputy Vice Minister for Foreign Policy
Tsuneo Nishida and Presidency Diplomatic Advisor Maurice

SIPDIS
Gourdault-Montagne, Gourdault-Montagne said that the EU
intends to lift the China arms embargo sometime in March,
possibly the 22nd or 23rd (dates for the March European
Summit). According to Masuda, Gourdault-Montagne evinced
great surprise when Nishida told him that lifting the embargo
would damage French-Japanese relations. Masuda said the
French seem to believe that the Japanese are less concerned
than previously about any lifting of the embargo. He rued
Prime Minister Koizumi's statement to President Chirac during
the October EU-ASEM summit in Hanoi, when Chirac asked
Koizumi about lifting the embargo. Koizumi had noted that
the Japanese hoped that the EU would consider the measure
"with prudence." Masuda feared that Koizumi's
less-than-forceful response had given Chirac the impression
that the Japanese would not protest too vigorously against a
lifting.


2. (S) Masuda also pointed out the difficulties that such a
date would cause, given plans for President Chirac to visit
Japan in late March. He found it inconceivable that the
French could consider pressing the EU to lift the embargo on
the eve of a long-planned visit.


3. (S) Echoing questions posed in Ref (A),Masuda also
sought to know whether the US position against the embargo
remains firm, noting concerns driven by press reporting that
perhaps the US has accepted the eventuality of a lift and is
seeking to minimize the damage. Poloff noted that US
position remains strongly against any lifting.


4. (S) Masuda also noted that during discussions between the
Japanese Ambassador in Paris and the French MFA to discuss
the embargo, (outgoing) Asia Chief Thierry Dana and
DAS-equivalent for East Asia Marc Abensour frequently attempt
to paint the United States as the country most eager to
exploit the market for arms sales to China.


5. (S) A March date fits in with MFA DAS-equivalent for
export control Jacques Maillard's previous comments to us
that they expected the EU to lift the embargo within the
first trimester of 2005 and with MFA DAS-equivalent for CFSP
LeDeunff's remarks prior to the Jan 31 GAERC (ref B) that
there would be no movement on the embargo prior to President
Bush's February visit to Europe.
Leach