STANDING COMMITTEE 220 SC 05 E Original: English NAT O   Pa rl i a me n t a ry  As s e mb l y CHINA: EXCHANGE OF CORRESPONDENCE International Secretariat October 2005

220 SC 05 E 1 LETTER   TO   MR.   PIERRE   LELLOUCHE,   PRESIDENT   OF   THE   NATO   PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY FROM HUGH BAYLEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS

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220 SC 05 E 3 LETTER     FROM     THE     PRESIDENT     OF     THE     NATO     PARLIAMENTARY     ASSEMBLY, MR. PIERRE LELLOUCHE  TO  MR.  HUGH  BAYLEY,  CHAIRMAN  OF  THE  SUB-COMMITTEE ON TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FRENCH DELEGATION NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY TO THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY    ASSEMBLY The President The President Paris, 14 September 2005 Dear Hugh, I have read your letter of 13 September last with great interest, and I thank you for informing me of the  findings  of  your  mission  to  China  and  of  the  prospects  of  future  work  for  our  Parliamentary Assembly.  As  you  point  out,  the  growth  of  the  Chinese  economy  and  the  thirst  of  the  Chinese leadership for power represent a real challenge for the member-countries of the Atlantic Alliance. I  agree  with  the  findings  of  the  members  of  your  sub-committee  on  the  necessity  for  initiating relations  between  our  Assembly  and  the  Chinese  authorities.  However,  having  regard  to  the strategic implications of the emergence of China, the sensitivity of certain national delegations in respect of arms sales and technology transfers as well as the security of Taiwan, I cannot invite a delegation  from  the  People’s  Assembly  to  Copenhagen  next  November  on  my  initiative  alone, without consulting the members of the Bureau and the Standing Committee beforehand. I will ask the International Secretariat to put this question on the agenda for the next meetings of these two bodies,  because  in  my  view  we  should  obtain  the  broadest  possible  consensus  on  both  the principle and the methods of a dialogue with that country. I have given your other proposals my full consideration, but their implementation seems to depend, as  you  yourself  point  out,  on  broad  political  agreement  within  our  Assembly.  I  will  submit  these also to the members of the Bureau and the Standing Committee. With warm personal regards, (signed) Pierre LELLOUCHE Mr Hugh BAYLEY Chairman, Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Economic Relations, NATO-PA ___________________________