Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10LONDON367
2010-02-18 13:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy London
Cable title:
UK ON EU ARMS EMBARGO ON CHINA: SMOKE BUT NO FIRE
how-toVZCZCXRO6742 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLO #0367 0491348 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181348Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY LONDON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4994 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1280 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1320
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000367
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA, EAP/CM, PM/RSAT, AND ISN/RA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM EUN CN UK
SUBJECT: UK ON EU ARMS EMBARGO ON CHINA: SMOKE BUT NO FIRE
REF: STATE 13969
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000367
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA, EAP/CM, PM/RSAT, AND ISN/RA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM EUN CN UK
SUBJECT: UK ON EU ARMS EMBARGO ON CHINA: SMOKE BUT NO FIRE
REF: STATE 13969
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) Responding to reftel, Foreign Office China External
and Taiwan Team leader Matthew Moody described for Poloff
February 18 the recent Spanish suggestion of a shift in the
EU's arms embargo on China as "smoke without fire." He
intimated that the UK had been "surprised" by the statements
of the Spanish Ambassador to China's comments to the Chinese
press and that the UK made representations in Beijing,
Madrid, and Brussels to the Spanish on the issue. The
Spanish told the UK that their Ambassador had been misquoted
and that he had simply stated that the arms embargo is "under
review by the EU," which Moody confirmed is and has been the
case since the GAERC conclusions of December 2004. Moody
explained that "general consensus" remains in the EU that now
is not/not the right time to change the arms embargo because
of concerns about human rights and security issues. He
further said that when and if the EU does actively consider a
shift, the UK will want the discussion to happen amongst the
27 EU member states and to include consultations with
partners in the region, like the U.S. and Japan. Moody
assessed that the Spanish would no longer be raising the
issue.
2. (C/NF) ACTION REQUEST: Moody raised the EU's code of
conduct and "toolbox" of export controls, which he noted were
legally binding, and requested additional information on the
USG's thinking on why they could not replace the embargo.
Embassy London requests instructions on how to respond to the
Foreign Office's query about USG thinking on the code of
conduct.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
SUSMAN
SIPDIS
NOFORN
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA, EAP/CM, PM/RSAT, AND ISN/RA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2020
TAGS: PREL PARM EUN CN UK
SUBJECT: UK ON EU ARMS EMBARGO ON CHINA: SMOKE BUT NO FIRE
REF: STATE 13969
Classified By: Political Counselor Robin Quinville, reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C/NF) Responding to reftel, Foreign Office China External
and Taiwan Team leader Matthew Moody described for Poloff
February 18 the recent Spanish suggestion of a shift in the
EU's arms embargo on China as "smoke without fire." He
intimated that the UK had been "surprised" by the statements
of the Spanish Ambassador to China's comments to the Chinese
press and that the UK made representations in Beijing,
Madrid, and Brussels to the Spanish on the issue. The
Spanish told the UK that their Ambassador had been misquoted
and that he had simply stated that the arms embargo is "under
review by the EU," which Moody confirmed is and has been the
case since the GAERC conclusions of December 2004. Moody
explained that "general consensus" remains in the EU that now
is not/not the right time to change the arms embargo because
of concerns about human rights and security issues. He
further said that when and if the EU does actively consider a
shift, the UK will want the discussion to happen amongst the
27 EU member states and to include consultations with
partners in the region, like the U.S. and Japan. Moody
assessed that the Spanish would no longer be raising the
issue.
2. (C/NF) ACTION REQUEST: Moody raised the EU's code of
conduct and "toolbox" of export controls, which he noted were
legally binding, and requested additional information on the
USG's thinking on why they could not replace the embargo.
Embassy London requests instructions on how to respond to the
Foreign Office's query about USG thinking on the code of
conduct.
Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom
SUSMAN