Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BRUSSELS1639
2008-10-23 16:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

CHINA: HU JIA RECEIVES THE EU'S SAKHAROV HUMAN

Tags:  PHUM PREL EUN CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2614
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHBS #1639 2971634
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 231634Z OCT 08
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA IMMEDIATE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001639 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL/MLGA, DRL/PHD, EAP/CM, AND EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL EUN CH
SUBJECT: CHINA: HU JIA RECEIVES THE EU'S SAKHAROV HUMAN
RIGHTS PRIZE

Classified By: POL M-C CHRIS DAVIS FOR REASONS 1.4 B & G

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001639

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL/MLGA, DRL/PHD, EAP/CM, AND EUR/ERA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL EUN CH
SUBJECT: CHINA: HU JIA RECEIVES THE EU'S SAKHAROV HUMAN
RIGHTS PRIZE

Classified By: POL M-C CHRIS DAVIS FOR REASONS 1.4 B & G


1. (C) Summary: In a move sure to anger China, the European
Parliament (EP) voted to award its annual Sakharov Human
Rights Prize to prominent Chinese activist Hu Jia on October

23. Commission sources report they have been besieged by
Chinese demarches calling on them to distance the Commission
publicly from the EP's award, a move that would be impossible
for the Commission to make. The prize will be awarded in
Strasbourg on December 17, two weeks after the EU-China
summit in Lyon, scheduled for December 1. In an apparent
move designed to appease China, France will, according to one
Commission source, arrange that the Dalai Lama not attend a
planned gathering of Nobel Peace Prize winners designed to
draw attention to the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. End Summary.


2. (U) On October 23, the European Parliament voted to award
the 2008 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Chinese
dissident Hu Jia. The prize ceremony will take place in
Strasbourg on December 17, two weeks after the EU-China
summit to be held in Lyon on December 1. Hu Jia is being
recognized by the EP as a prominent political activist in
China, who has embraced a wide range of causes, including
environmental issues, HIV/AIDS advocacy, and full disclosure
regarding the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. In November
2007, Hu Jia spoke to a public meeting of the European
Parliament's Human Rights subcommittee via telephone from
house arrest. As a result of that dialogue, he was charged
with "inciting subversion of state power" and was sentenced
in April 2008 to three-and-a-half years in jail. The
Sakharov Prize is awarded to individuals or organizations who
have made an important contribution to the fight for human
rights or democracy. To mark the 20th anniversary of the
prize, a special event for all previous prize-winners will be
held in Strasbourg on December 16. The Sakharov Prize winner
receives EUR 50,000.


3. (C) Commission sources say that they expect China to
"react badly" to the European Parliament's vote, which has
been anticipated in Brussels for weeks. In the past week,
China has reportedly summoned the Head of the European
Commission's Delegation in Beijing twice, and has demarched
at various levels in the European Commission repeatedly in
recent days. Even third country counterparts in Brussels
have noted the large numbers of Chinese diplomats
conspicuously present at the European Parliament in recent
weeks. China has been pressing the Commission to issue a
statement distancing itself from the EP's award, a move the
Commission could not realistically make.


4. (C) One Commission source also reports that, in honor of
the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights this fall, the French Presidency will host a gathering
in Paris of all previous Nobel Peace Prize winners.
According to this source, to appease China, France reportedly
seeks some accommodation with the Dalai Lama; he will be
invited, but will regret the invitation. We will attempt to
verify the veracity of this assertion.

SILVERBERG
.