US embassy cable - 04DUBLIN1466

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 001466 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2014 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, PHUM, EUN 
SUBJECT: IRISH VIEWS ON THE EU CHINA ARMS EMBARGO 
 
REF: STATE 208511 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Jonathan Benton, reasons 1.4 (B) 
 and (D). 
 
1.  (C) On September 28, DCM reinforced with David Cooney, 
Poltical Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), 
reftel talking points and aide-memoire.  Cooney said that the 
GOI, while fully aware of the U.S. position, could not commit 
to opposing the lifting of the China arms embargo within EU 
circles.  He noted that Ireland would not sell arms to China 
in any event, adding that the GOI shared USG concerns about 
China's failure to improve its human rights record. 
 
2.  (C) In a follow-up discussion on September 30 with 
poloff, Niall Brady, DFA First Secretary for Asia, observed 
that Ireland did not favor the proposal to lift the embargo, 
as the GOI and Irish public shared international concerns 
about China's poor human rights record.  He described lifting 
the ban as a "hard sell domestically."  The GOI agreed with 
the U.S. position, moreover, that lifting the ban could 
adversely affect the East Asian military balance.  Brady 
believed that the ban would be lifted eventually, but not 
before 2005 and certainly not in time for the December 
EU-China Summit.  He noted that the EU had not yet achieved a 
consensus on the issue, particularly with the UK's lack of 
enthusiasm for lifting the ban.  Like Cooney, Brady could not 
offer assurances that Ireland would actively oppose moves 
within the EU to lift the ban. 
KENNY