Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USEUBRUSSELS414
2009-03-23 18:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:  

EU/CHINA: FERRERO-WALDNER WILLING TO RAISE GAO

Tags:  PREL PHUM CH EUN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0006
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBS #0414 0821802
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 231802Z MAR 09
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000414 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA; EAP/CM; DRL/FO SUSAN O'SULLIVAN; DRL/IRF
EMILIE KAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM CH EUN
SUBJECT: EU/CHINA: FERRERO-WALDNER WILLING TO RAISE GAO
ZHISHENG DURING UPCOMING VISIT

REF: 3/16/09 O'SULLIVAN/KAO/BOWLES E-MAIL

Classified By: USEU Pol M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000414

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA; EAP/CM; DRL/FO SUSAN O'SULLIVAN; DRL/IRF
EMILIE KAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM CH EUN
SUBJECT: EU/CHINA: FERRERO-WALDNER WILLING TO RAISE GAO
ZHISHENG DURING UPCOMING VISIT

REF: 3/16/09 O'SULLIVAN/KAO/BOWLES E-MAIL

Classified By: USEU Pol M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 3.


2. (C) European Commissioner for External Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner plans to visit China during the week of March
30, and may be willing to raise the case of political
prisoner Gao Zhisheng if asked by the United States to do so,
according to Michalis Rokas, Deputy Director for China at the
European Commission's DG RELEX. During a meeting on March
23, Rokas told Poloff that Ferrero-Waldner would meet Chinese
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and hoped to also see Premier
Wen Jiabao during her upcoming visit. Rokas said that
Ferrero-Waldner had been torn about whether to raise the case
during her meetings, but ultimately decided that the U.S.
should bring up the case since Gao's family had escaped to
America. In response to Poloff's question on Gao's status,
Rokas said that there was a "total blackout" on news
regarding Gao's status or whereabouts, and that EU Member
State delegations had no information.


3. (C) Action request: Rokas said he believed that
Ferrero-Waldner would reconsider her decision and raise Gao's
case directly with either Foreign Minister Yang or with
Premier Wen, if the U.S. requested that she do so. Post is
prepared to deliver such a request if so instructed. End
action request.

MURRAY
.