US embassy cable - 04DUBLIN1633

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 001633 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2014 
TAGS: MARR, PARM, PINR, PREL 
SUBJECT: IRISH/CHINA ARMS EMBARGO: NOT RIPE TO LIFT YET 
 
 
Classified By: Charge Jon Benton for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  On October 19, a delegation comprised of 
State DRL and PM and DoD J-5 visited members of the Irish 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Parliament, and Amnesty 
International-Irish Section, to argue against the EU lifting 
its arms embargo against China.  Until recently, Irish 
officials had said that the embargo would be lifted unless 
the UK blocked it.  This time, they said that no EU decision 
is imminent, and they described the EU as slowly and 
carefully reviewing whether to lift the embargo.  EU 
governments, the Irish said, are increasingly concerned about 
non-proliferation and security, while parliaments and the 
public largely oppose lifting the embargo on human rights 
grounds.  Cliona Manahan, Director for Asia and the Pacific, 
said the Irish government is concerned that lifting the 
embargo would adversely affect security in the region and 
send the Chinese the wrong signal on human rights.  She said 
the GoI makes those points in the EU. The Irish parliament 
and Amnesty International clearly supported maintaining the 
embargo. Comment:  The Irish government was much more 
forthcoming this time, even going so far as to say that it 
would not be "ripe" to lift the embargo now.  However, it 
studiously avoided saying that it opposes lifting the 
embargo.  We suspect that while Ireland is willing to raise 
concerns within the EU, it would not as a small country be at 
the center of opposition, nor be willing to be the sole 
nay-sayer.  End Summary and Comment. 
 
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DFA Sees Little Progress on Human Rights; 
Shares Security Concerns 
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2. (C) Cliona Manahan, Director for Asia and the Pacific, 
said that China has made only limited improvements in its 
human rights situation.  She said that 15 years after 
Tianaman, there are persistent problems with torture, 
continued "re-education" through labor camps, and lack of 
progress on UN human rights mechanisms.  In general, she 
said, the increasing openness of the economy and society has 
not extended to civic or political life.  To lift the embargo 
now, Manahan said, would be seen by China as vindication of 
its token improvement in human rights and a sign of 
diminished EU interest in human rights.  At the same time, 
she said, the Irish parliament and public remain deeply 
concerned about human rights in China, including the 
situation in Tibet and of the Falun Gong, and about 
ramifications for Taiwan. 
 
3.(C)  In response to the U.S. description of security 
concerns, the Irish said that they shared those concerns and 
raised them regularly within the EU. Interestingly, they 
offered that Ireland does not see lifting the embargo as 
necessary for gaining investment opportunities.  Business, 
Manahan said, is booming anyway.  She also said that adding 
human rights clauses to a renewed U.S.-EU technical 
cooperation agreement would give the U.S. and EU another tool 
with respect to third countries. 
 
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EU's Next Steps 
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4.  (C)  Manahan said that the EU is sensing "dialogue 
fatigue" among the Chinese.  She suggested that it would be 
helpful to convene the Bern group so that all countries 
holding human rights dialogues could compare notes and 
coordinate future actions.  Ireland, she said, is beginning 
to wonder whether China engages in dialogue for optics only, 
with no intention of making changes.  Unfortunately, she 
said, the EU's review of China's human rights situation was 
done at the same time as Iran's, and China looked good in 
comparison.  Similarly, some in the EU consider that lifting 
the embargo on Libya sets a precedent for China. She noted 
that China is playing a very aggressive diplomatic game in a 
wide range of contacts in EU member states and international 
organizations.  She also said the EU is grappling with what 
it means, in the 21st century, to have a "strategic 
partnership" with a country such as China.  A strategic 
partnership would seem to be one without arms embargos 
attached.  While human rights arguments work well with the 
public, who in turn put pressure on governments, she said 
that among governments and elites, the political/military 
arguments against lifting the embargo are more effective. 
 
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Parliament 
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5.  (SBU) Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 
Irish Parliament welcomed the opportunity to receive the U.S. 
delegation and to discuss the EU arms embargo against China. 
They said that Ireland is especially interested in this 
matter as it pertains to human rights, an important subject 
for the Irish public.  The parliamentarians noted that some 
progress has been achieved in human rights, but not enough. 
Dr. Michael Woods, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, 
stated that China has made considerable progress in 
socio-economic terms, but concerns remain in terms of freedom 
of the press, assembly, and religion.  Woods also expressed 
concern with Internet restrictions and violations of minority 
rights.  According to Woods, China is sending a mixed picture 
at best; the progress is commendable, but not enough. 
Another member of parliament, Bernard Allen, raised regional 
security issues surrounding Taiwan and expressed concern that 
the lifting of the embargo might start a new Asian arms race. 
 
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Amnesty International 
--------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) In a meeting with Amnesty International's Irish 
Section, Director Sean Love voiced the same concerns about 
human rights as the DFA and parliament.  At the same time, he 
voiced his frustration at the lack of interest at the 
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in requiring 
corporate responsibility for human rights in trade 
agreements.  In a separate follow-up conversation with 
emboff, a DETE official confirmed that there is no 
requirement for Irish businesses to raise human rights in 
their commercial dealings with China.  He also noted that 
there are no Irish plans to sell weapons to the Chinese. 
 
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Players Involved 
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7.  (U) Members of Parliament and Government officials: 
Dr. Michael Woods, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee 
(Fianna Fail), Dan Wallace, Former Lord Mayor of Cork (Fianna 
Fail), and Bernard Allen (Fine Gael).  The delegation also 
met with senior members of the DFA, including Cliona Manahan, 
Director of Asia and Pacific, Mary O'Connor-EU External 
Relations, Sean O'Regan-Human Rights, and Paul 
Barnwell-Disarmament and Nonproliferation.  A further meeting 
convened with Amnesty International's Irish Section. 
BENTON