SLOVENIAN PRESIDENCY NOT SOFTENING POSITION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L LJUBLJANA 000197

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PM/DTCP ANN GANZER, PM/RSAT KRISTIN DOWLEY,
ISN/CATR BILL MALZAHN, EUR/ERA NATHANIEL DEAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2018
TAGS: PREL PARM PHUM JA EUN SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIAN PRESIDENCY NOT SOFTENING POSITION ON
CHINESE ARMS EMBARGO

REF: STATE 043851

Classified By: CDA Grace Shelton for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) On April 28, Emboff met with MFA Asia, Africa, and
Pacific Division Minister Plenipotentiary Jasna Lhotka and
Third Secretary Matjaz Marko to deliver reftel points noting
the softer language on the Chinese arms embargo in the
EU-Japan Summit Joint Statement, and expressing our belief
that the maintenance and strict enforcement of the embargo is
in the best interest of the trans-Atlantic community. Marko
stated that the EU had not wanted any mention of the Chinese
arms embargo in the statement and that, in fact, the EU
Political and Security Committee had given the working group
a mandate that the arms embargo should not be mentioned at
all. Marko added that the reason the EU did not want to
include the embargo against China was that "the EU did not
want to discuss problematic third countries with partners,"
and that the problems in negotiating a statement arose when
Japan wanted to make a bilateral statement about the Chinese
embargo instead of a unilateral statement.


2. (C) Lhotka explained that the EU wanted Japan to issue a
unilateral statement on the Chinese arms embargo, but because
Japan wanted a bilateral statement they had to compromise on
the language used. Lhotka stressed that the USG should not
consider the Slovenian Presidency or the EU as withdrawing
from its position on the arms embargo against China, but
should see the statement as representing a compromise with
Japan. With regard to future EU Presidency positions on the
Chinese arms embargo, Lhotka noted that, in the past, French
President Sarkozy had given indirect signals to China of
possibly lifting the embargo. Lhotka opined, however, that
the human rights situation would have to improve a great deal
to make that position politically feasible. Lhotka explained
that China had taken some positive steps on human rights in
the area of social justice, health, and workers rights. She
stressed, however, that when taking the overall picture of
human rights into account - including Chinese missiles aimed
at Taiwan, the limits of free expression, and the current
situation in Tibet - it would be inappropriate for the EU to
even discuss lifting the embargo.


3. (C) Lhotka also noted that the Code of Conduct on arms
sales is still not in effect in the EU, making it impossible
to talk about a link between the Code and the embargo against
China. In any case, she added, some Member States did not
want a direct link between the Code of Conduct and the
embargo. Lhotka suggested that one potential benefit from
having the Code of Conduct govern arms licensing would be to
provide a new mechanism for regulating arms sales and,
thereby avoid Chinese criticism that the arms embargo is a
"relic of the Cold War."
SHELTON