EU-CHINA SUMMIT - A RELATIONSHIP BACK ON TRACK?

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000281

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV EZ EUN CH
SUBJECT: EU-CHINA SUMMIT - A RELATIONSHIP BACK ON TRACK?

REF: PRAGUE DAILY 5/21/09

Classified By: POLEC Counselor Charles O. Blaha for reasons 1.5 (b) and
(d).


1. (U) Summary: Emboffs called on MFA Asia Pacific Director
Jiri Sitler and Human Rights and Transformation Policy
Director Gabriela Dlouha for debriefs of the May 20 EU)China
summit and the 27th EU-China human rights dialogue. Sitler
said that there were few surprises during the summit
discussions, but noted that the Chinese seemed particularly
preoccupied with obtaining recognition as a market economy
and with lifting the arms embargo. Dlouha noted that the
dialogue on human rights went slightly better than the EU had
anticipated, although she did note that the proof will come
once the EU receives responses from the Chinese government on
the individual human rights cases raised. She also noted that
the Chinese pressed the EU on the Uighurs held in detention
in Guantanamo. There will be a second EU-China summit this
year, most likely in the autumn during the Swedish
Presidency. End Summary.

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Atmospherics - Little Chinese Flexibility
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2. (SBU) Sitler apologized for the bare bones press release
on the meeting, noting it had been impossible to negotiate a
more substantive joint statement with the Chinese, who had
insisted on going further than previously agreed language
(China wanted to stress the one-China policy and comment on
lifting the arms embargo). Sitler said the Chinese also made
other unacceptable linkages and demonstrated no flexibility.
According to Sitler, the Chinese complained throughout the
visit that 1) the Czech PM had personally accepted a petition
from Amnesty International just prior to the arrival of the
Chinese Premier, and 2) journalists with a relationship to
the Falun Gong had been accredited to attend the press
conference (at which the Chinese refused to allow questions).


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EU-China Human Rights Dialogue
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3. (SBU) Human Rights and Transformation Policy Director
Dlouha stated that there has been slow, but visible progress
in this dialogue, which is now in its 13th year. As one
modest example, Dlouha noted that the Chinese no longer
challenge the EU's right to ask human rights questions of
them, something that the EU has yet to overcome in its
dealings with Russia. In advance of the human rights
dialogue on May 15, the EU handed over a list of
approximately 20 cases of special concern to the EU and
raised three specific cases during the dialogue itself (that
of Charter 08 movement leader Liu XiaoBo, human rights
defender Gao ZhiSheng and AIDS activist Hu Jia). Dlouha
noted, however, that the Chinese often take several weeks
before they officially respond. Thus, the EU is reserving
judgment on how much progress has actually been made until it
receives the Chinese response.

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Chinese Discuss Prevention of Torture, but Not Tibet
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4. (SBU) Noting that the EU has found the Chinese to be
amenable to discussing prevention of torture issues, Dlouha
indicated that as a part of this human rights dialogue, the
Czechs arranged a visit to a Czech detention center, so that
the Chinese could see and discuss how the EU handles
prisoners' rights. The Czech Ombudsman also participated in
this visit and discussion. Dlouha also noted that the EU has
pressed the Chinese hard on its use of the death penalty.
Apparently the Chinese have approximately 68 criminal
categories for which the death penalty is applicable and the
EU has encouraged the Chinese to limit these categories.
Where there has been very little movement on the part of
China, however, is on discussion of the situation in Tibet.
According to Dlouha, the Chinese have not budged from their
position that Tibet is an internal matter and not a human
rights concern. While the EU has previously raised the case
of two Tibetans who were allegedly tortured and subsequently
died in custody, the Chinese have never responded to EU
requests for information on these specific cases.

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Chinese Press on Uighurs and Guantanamo
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5. (C) Dlouha noted that the one area that the Chinese
pressed the EU was with respect to the Uighurs currently at
Guantanamo. The Chinese made clear that they felt these
detainees should be extradited to China, and not accepted by
EU member states. They also apparently criticized Germany,

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Portugal and the United Kingdom for their public comments on
this topic.

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Cooperation in International Fora - Burma and Sudan
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6. (SBU) At the summit, Sitler stated that the EU raised the
recent arrest of Aung San Su Kyi and urged China to become
more engaged. The Chinese stated that it was their hope that
all parties would engage in a patient and consistent
dialogue, which the international community, and especially
the UN, should promote by establishing an &easy
atmosphere.8 The EU also pressed the Chinese during the
human rights dialogue to be more helpful in international
fora and specifically on Sudan. According to Dlouha the
Chinese agreed to support the extension of the mandate of the
UN special rapporteur on human rights in Sudan. When asked
whether the EU pressed for more robust support from China on
Sudan, Dlouha responded that the Chinese went no further than
to comment on the mandate of the rapporteur.

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Trade and Environment - No Surprises
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7. (SBU) On the environment, energy and climate change,
Sitler said EU Commission head Barroso took the lead. The
Commission and the Presidency had hoped for a separate
substantive statement on this issue, but the Chinese insisted
on inserting non-climate related points and "the price became
too high." During the discussion the Chinese listed a series
of actions they planned to take relating to the environment
and climate change, but Sitler said that Commission experts
saw nothing new in what was said. He noted that this subject
would also be discussed during an "autumn" EU-China summit
during the Swedish Presidency, prior to the December
Copenhagen meeting. On trade, the Chinese strongly rejected
protectionism and indicated that they would consider buying
ten percent of the potential IMF bond issue. The EU also
raised IPR and market access. He added that nothing
unexpected occurred during the summit discussions, although
he noted that the Chinese seemed particularly focused on the
lifting of the arms embargo and the market economy issue
(arguing that they were more of a market economy than Russia
to which the EU responded that this was primarily a technical
question ) China did not fulfill the criteria). Sitler said
they were discussing a possible meeting of Foreign Ministers
on the margins of the Hanoi ASEM meeting next month.

Thompson-Jones