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EU to debate China arms embargo at summit
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-17 13:41 EU leaders were set to declare
their "political will" to lift an arms embargo on China, the draft summit
conclusions obtained by AFP said.
The Council of European Union leaders
said it was "looking forward to further progress in all areas" of the 25-nation
bloc's relationship with China.
![European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso speaks to reporters on his arrival at a European Union summit in Brussels December 17, 2004. EU leaders were set to declare their 'political will' to lift an arms embargo on China. [AFP]](xin_4512011715535701194830.jpg)
European Commission
chief Jose Manuel Barroso speaks to reporters on his arrival at a European
Union summit in Brussels December 17, 2004. EU leaders were set to declare
their 'political will' to lift an arms embargo on China. [AFP]
| "In this context the European Council reaffirmed the
political will to continue to work towards lifting the arms embargo," the draft
summit conclusions obtained by AFP said.
"It underlined that the result of any decision should not be an increase of
arms exports from EU member states to China, neither in quantitative nor
qualitative terms," they added.
The leaders "recalled the importance of the criteria" of a new EU code of
conduct on arms exports," in particular criteria regarding human rights,
stability and security in the region and the national security of friendly and
allied countries".
No Immediate Decision Expected
EU leaders have agreed to include a debate on the
possible lifting of an arms embargo against China onto the agenda of a Brussels
summit Friday but have no plans to make an immediate decision, officials
said.
The deputy prime minister of the Czech Republic,
Martin Jahn, told Agence France-Presse that the issue, which was not on the
original program, would be discussed early Friday after talks on the 2007-2013
EU budget and the fight against terrorism.
A European diplomat added that
the heads of government would discuss the embargo, but that no decision would be
taken at the summit, which wraps up Friday afternoon.
Several of the 25
member states have demanded leaders rule on the issue during the first half of
2005, when Luxembourg will hold the rotating EU presidency.
Countries
like France argue that, a decade and a half later, the ban is
'outdated'.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said during a visit to
China earlier this month that he supported the end to the embargo and would work
for a consensus within the EU for lifting it.
At an EU-China summit in
The Hague this month, diplomats said the campaign against the embargo appeared
to be gaining momentum inside the 25-member bloc.
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