This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000647 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/20/2014 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PARM CH TW IT EUN HUMAN RIGHTS
SUBJECT: EU-CHINA ARMS EMBARGO - ITALIANS PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY 
 
REF: SECSTATE 33385 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
¶1. (C) CHARGE, ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFFS MET WITH AND DELIVERED 
REF POINTS TO MFA U/S FOR ASIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS, MARGHERITA 
BONIVER. BONIVER AGREED THAT CHINESE PROGRESS ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
    HAS BEEN LESS THAN SATISFACTORY AND THAT LIFTING THE EMBARGO 
AT THIS TIME WOULD SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE TO THE CHINESE 
GOVERNMENT AND COULD POSE A DANGER IN REGARDS TO TAIWAN. SHE 
STATED THAT SHE WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING ITALY'S 
FINAL POSITION ON LIFTING THE EMBARGO BUT THAT SHE WOULD 
FORWARD OUR CONCERNS TO FM FRATTINI AND ALSO SPEAK TO HIM 
PERSONALLY. 
 
¶2. (C) BONIVER SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT IN 
THE EU WITH MORE COUNTRIES, INCLUDING ITALY, FAVORING A 
REEVALUATION OF THE ISSUE, A DECISION TO LIFT THE EMBARGO 
WOULD NOT BE WELL RECEIVED BY PARLIAMENT NOR BY THE PUBLIC IN 
ITALY OR IN MANY OTHER EU COUNTRIES. BECAUSE OF THIS, ANY 
DECISION TO LIFT THE EMBARGO WOULD REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT 
LINKAGE TO IMPROVEMENTS IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND, ACCORDING TO 
BONIVER, WOULD NOT OCCUR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. IN RESPONSE TO 
CHARGE'S QUESTION, SHE SAID ANY LIFTING CERTAINLY WOULD NOT 
HAPPEN AS EARLY AS APRIL (WHEN EU FMS ARE SCHEDULED TO MEET). 
 
¶3. (C) CHARGE RESPONDED THAT THE CHINESE HAD NOT DELIVERED ON 
THE COMMITMENTS MADE AT THE US-CHINA HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE IN 
DECEMBER 2002 AND THAT THE SAME COULD HAPPEN WITH ANY 
LINKAGES MADE BY THE EU. HE ADDED THAT, BECAUSE OF THIS LACK 
OF ACTION, THE US WAS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING SPONSORING A 
UNCHR RESOLUTION IN 2004. BONIVER AGREED THAT THE EU MUST BE 
CAREFUL AND FIRM WITH THE CHINESE AND THAT ITALY WOULD 
CONSIDER A RESOLUTION "IN DUE TIME." 
SKODON 
 
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	2004ROME00647 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL