BERN PROCESS: AUSTRIAN/EU VIEWS ON CHINESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000811 SIPDIS STATE FOR DRL, EUR/AGS AND EAP/C E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL KJUS CM AU EUN SUBJECT: BERN PROCESS: AUSTRIAN/EU VIEWS ON CHINESE PRISONER CASES REF: A) STATE 29669 B) BERN 478 Classified By: Acting DCM Gregory E. Phillips. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) EconPolOff delivered reftel points on March 14 to Engelbert Theuermann, MFA A/S-equivalent for Human Rights and Thomas Unger, Human Rights Bureau desk officer. (Unger participated in the December 1-2 Bern Process meetings in Brussels). Theuermann and Unger, speaking for the EU Presidency, agreed that the cases are of priority concern. However, they questioned whether joint demarches would be the most effective means of presentation, noting that Bern Process coordinator Switzerland did not favor joint demarches (Ref B). ¶2. (C) Instead, the EU proposes closer coordination, as agreed at previous meetings, along with the cross-referencing of individual member state actions and demarches. A parallel effort would allow member states to build on the the achievements of others in a mutually reinforcing process, Theuermann and Unger thought. Given that the EU and U.S have different points of leverage, as well as levels of engagement on individual cases, parallel approaches would be more appropriate, Theuermann said. McCaw