NORWEGIANS WON'T JOIN CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000304 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2016 TAGS: PHUM KJUS PREL NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS WON'T JOIN CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS DEMARCHE REF: STATE 29669 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b/d) 1.(C) On March 14 we delivered reftel points to Haakon Arald Gulbradsen, Adviser on Human Rights/Chinese matters at the MFA. Although Gulbradsen thanked us for the points, he stated that Norway would decline the joint demarche request. He noted the existing (and future) bilateral efforts between Norway and China as the grounds for the refusal. According to Gulbradsen, Norway is planning a Sino-Norwegian Roundtable on Human Rights and the Rule of Law to be held June 7-9 in Beijing. He stated that Norway would definitely consider the individuals outlined we listed, and would likely include most (if not all) of them in the "prisoner list" which the Norwegian government intended to submit to the Chinese government two weeks prior to the Roundtable. According to Gulbradsen, the Roundtable is designed to address (on the political level) Chinese human rights abuses and discuss how to "move forward." Gulbradsen pointed out that Norway has already inquired with the Chinese government about jailed laborers Yao Fuxin and Xiao Yunliang, who are both referenced in our list. Additionally, he has heard word that Phuntsog Nyidrol, a Tibetan Buddhist nun also of concern to us, may soon be allowed to travel. 2.(C) Gulbradsen was somewhat optimistic of the forthcoming Roundtable, noting that the January 4-6, 2006 Roundtable held in Oslo yielded "pretty good results." He cited positive Chinese responses to the January 2006 prison list (containing 65 individuals) with respect to 49 prisoners. Gulbradsen noted he recently handed this existing list to the British Embassy in Oslo, who would coordinate future distribution among the Bern Process member states. Visit Oslo's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m WHITNEY