US embassy cable - 05VIENNA846

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000846 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, PM, EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, CM, AU, EUN 
SUBJECT: EU CHINA ARMS EMBARGO AND CHINESE FM VISIT: 
AUSTRIAN RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 44309 
 
Classified By: ECONOMIC-POLITICAL COUNSELOR GREGORY E. PHILLIPS 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (SBU) EconPolCouns and Pol Unit Chief delivered reftel 
demarche on March 14 to Thomas Hajnoczi, Austrian MFA 
A/S-equivalent for Political-Military Affairs and EU Common 
Foreign and Security Policy. 
 
2.  (C) Hajnoczi, who had returned earlier that day from a 
trip to Washington, recounted that his meetings on Capitol 
Hill had revealed the intensity of sentiment in the U.S. 
Congress against lifting the embargo.   Hajnoczi reiterated 
the standard EU point that the embargo was merely a 
non-binding political statement and did not include 
restrictions on transfers of sensitive technology.  He said 
this indicated a need for "education" on the EU's policies. 
He said he hoped the visit of Annalisa Gianella would help in 
this regard. 
 
3.  (C) Hajnoczi concurred with the need to consult on 
possible EU follow-on measures, such as the Code of Conduct 
and "toolbox."  He also observed that the Chinese 
Parliament's passage of anti-separatist legislation aimed at 
Taiwan had increased tensions.  Hajnoczi offered his opinion 
that this would likely result in a delay of EU action to lift 
the embargo. 
Brown