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OO RUEHAG RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVC
DE RUEHBJ #4372 3360954
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O 010954Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1149
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 004372 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2028 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON KIRF FR XG CH
SUBJECT: CHINA POSTPONES SUMMIT WITH EU OVER DALAI LAMA 
MEETINGS 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4 
(B/D). 
 
 Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) China has postponed the EU-China Summit slated for 
December 1 in Lyon, France indefinitely, the EU announced 
November 27.  An EU spokesman said that China blames European 
heads of state meetings with the Dalai Lama for the decision, 
while the Chinese specifically blame the French leadership's 
announcement of plans to meet the Dalai Lama.  A French 
contact said that China's postponement of the summit came as 
a surprise, and that Chinese anger over French President 
Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to meet the Dalai Lama "was an 
overreaction."  Other contacts expressed frustration at 
France's willingness to sacrifice EU interests for French 
political purposes.  Press reports on the delay in the 
finalization of the sale of 150 Airbus aircraft are not true, 
the French Embassy reported.  End Summary. 
 
Indefinite Postponement 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) China has indefinitely postponed the 11th EU-China 
Summit previously scheduled to take place December 1 in Lyon, 
France, the EU announced November 27.  PRC MFA Spokesman Qin 
Gang on November 27 publicly confirmed the EU's public 
statement that China canceled the summit because several 
European leaders plan to meet the Dalai Lama in the next two 
weeks.  French Embassy Political Counselor Erkki Maillard 
said December 1 that China's decision to postpone the summit 
was unexpected.  French officials had anticipated that China 
would cancel or postpone only the Sino-French bilateral 
meetings slated to take place after the EU Summit.  Maillard 
described China's postponement as an "overreaction," and 
seconded the EU's expression of regret.  He noted that France 
and the EU both greatly value relations with China, 
particularly at this time of global financial crisis.  The EU 
announcement stated that the EU intends to continue to 
improve its relations and strategic partnership with China. 
 
China's Statement: It's Sarkozy's Fault 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) MFA Spokesman Qin Gang put the blame for the 
postponement squarely on France.  French leaders had "greatly 
aroused the dissatisfaction of the Chinese Government and 
people" by announcing their intention to meet with the Dalai 
Lama just before the EU-China Summit, Qin Gang said on 
November 27.  In a longer statement November 28, Qin said 
that Tibet is a matter of China's sovereignty and territorial 
integrity, and expressed regret that France had not responded 
to China's concerns on the matter.  Qin's statement 
specifically singled out "France's leaders'" announcements of 
their plans to meet the Dalai Lama, and noted that the 
dialogue will be held once France "creates the necessary 
conditions and atmosphere."  An officer at the PRC MFA 
European Affairs Department confirmed that no new date has 
been set for the summit. 
 
EU Frustration 
-------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Other EU embassies also expressed frustration over the 
Chinese move, though some said France should have anticipated 
China's reaction.  German Embassy Second Secretary Dirk 
Lechelt predicted on November 26 that the Dalai Lama meeting 
would be "too much for China to take."  After the 
announcement of the postponement of the summit, Lechelt 
blamed China, saying "this isn't how 'strategic partners' are 
supposed to act."  Dutch Political Officer Rob Anderson told 
PolOff December 1 that France should have anticipated China's 
reaction and that his personal opinion is that France was 
willing to sacrifice EU interests for its own political 
agenda.  China is in a strong position, he said, and the EU 
will find it difficult to retaliate. 
 
French Claim No Airbus Sale Delays 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Press reports that China postponed finalizing the 
purchase of 150 new Airbus passenger airplanes following the 
collapse of the summit are incorrect, Maillard said.  No 
contracts were slated to be signed during the summit and the 
postponement should not have affected aircraft sales, he 
added. 
RANDT