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16/12/2007
EU-China: Beijing summit and human rights dialogue
European Parliament, Human rights - 13-12-2007.
In a resolution on relations with China, Parliament welcomes closer ties but highlights remaining differences over trade, Tibet and human rights, notably with a view to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.EU-China summit: trade, counterfeiting and human rights
While welcoming the Joint Statement of the 10th EU-China Summit of 28 November 2007, in which both sides speak of developing a comprehensive strategic partnership to meet global challenges, Parliament's resolution calls for "a more balanced trade and economic partnership which should lead to sustainable growth and social development, in particular in the areas of climate change, environment and energy". It also notes that "the pirating and counterfeiting of European products and brands by Chinese industries constitutes a serious violation of international trade rules" and urges the Chinese authorities to take action.
In addition, Parliament regrets that "once again the Council and Commission have failed to raise in a firm manner human rights issues" and that "the EU did not take the opportunity of the approach of the Olympics to address serious human rights concerns in China". It calls on the Council "to make a comprehensive evaluation of the human rights situation before finalizing any new Partnership and Cooperation Framework Agreement" and stresses that any such agreement will require the EP's formal assent. MEPs also insist that the EU arms embargo on China following the Tiananmen events "must remain intact until substantial progress is made on human rights issues".
Human rights dialogue: Tibet, Olympic Games, Myanmar and Darfur
In addition, the resolution refers to the recent rounds of the EU-China Dialogue on Human Rights. It stresses that "China's human rights record remains a matter of serious concern" and stresses the need to improve the EU-China human rights dialogue. MEPs highlight key issues that must continue to be raised in the dialogue: ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, reform of the criminal justice system, freedom of expression, particularly on the Internet, freedom of the press, freedom of access to information, freedom of conscience, thought and religion, the situation of minorities in Tibet, the release of Tiananmen detainees and workers' rights.
On Tibet, MEPs regret that "the sixth Sino-Tibetan round of talks has brought about no results". They call on the Chinese government "to engage in substantive negotiations taking into due consideration the demands of the Dalai Lama for autonomy for Tibet". China is also urged to refrain from exerting pressure on states that have friendly relations with the Dalai Lama. Reports of "continuing human rights violations in Tibet and other provinces inhabited by Tibetan people" are noted with concern and MEPs call on China to allow an independent body to have access to the Panchen Lama.
Turning to the 2008 Olympic Games, Parliament argues "that human rights concerns should receive much more focus in the build-up to the Beijing Olympic Games" and points in this connection to Articles 1 and 2 of the Olympic Charter. It also requests the International Olympic Committee "to publish its own assessment of China's compliance with the undertakings given in 2001 before the Games were awarded to Beijing".
The resolution highlights political persecution related to the Olympics, of human rights defenders, journalists and others. The repression of ethnic groups such as the Uighurs and religious groups such as the Falun Gong is also condemned, as is the surveillance and censorship of information on the internet. In addition, Parliament wants the Chinese authorities "to establish a moratorium on executions during the Olympic Games in 2008, and to withdraw the list of 42 banned categories of people".
Lastly, among other demands, the resolution calls on China "to implement the recommendations of the UN special rapporteur on torture" and "to stop its ongoing support for the regimes in Myanmar and Darfur".
19:47 Posted in Freedom of expression | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this | Tags: Tibet
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