Gold9472
03-22-2005, 02:00 PM
China urges EU not to delay lifting weapons ban
Beijing angered by reports Europe may reconsider decision
The Associated Press
Updated: 8:31 a.m. ET March 22, 2005
BEIJING - China appealed to the European Union on Tuesday to go ahead with plans to lift a 15-year-old arms embargo, reacting angrily to reports that action might be delayed because of Beijing’s passage of a law authorizing a military attack on Taiwan.
European diplomats say the EU is reconsidering a plan to lift the embargo following China’s passage of the law on March 14 authorizing an attack if Taiwan pursues independence.
At a minimum, a European diplomat said Monday such weapons as night-vision goggles and submarine technology would not be sold. Europeans have discussed a “code of conduct” designed to keep dangerous weapons out of China’s hands.
The Bush administration, in a long-public spat with its allies, has argued that the weapons could be turned against Taiwan as China attempts to assert its sovereignty over the island.
“Linking these two issues is unreasonable,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao. “The passage of the anti-secession law is an effort to ease tensions across the Taiwan Straits. ... The key to ease tensions is to check Taiwan’s secessionary forces and to stop all secessionist activities.”
The EU had appeared close to lifting the ban. But British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Sunday that the potential use of force has created “quite a difficult political environment.”
U.S. argues to keep embargo in place
France and Germany are lobbying to end the ban, while Washington has argued aggressively to keep it in place. The United States also bars arms sales to China. Both embargoes were imposed following Beijing’s bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.
Clarification of the European position is expected to come from the European Council in Brussels.
“The arms embargo against China is political discrimination, which is not in line with today’s reality,” Liu said at a regular news briefing. “The EU should do something to contribute to the growth of bilateral relations.”
China says it is unlikely to buy large amounts of European arms if the embargo is lifted, but analysts say Beijing is looking to Europe for high-tech equipment that it can’t get elsewhere.
China has spent billions of dollars in recent years on Russian fighter jets, submarines and other equipment as it tries to modernize its military and back up threats to invade Taiwan.
The EU says that a nonbinding code of conduct would help monitor exports to China.
Officials say the code is being strengthened and should help ensure that lifting the embargo does not produce a flood of risky or destabilizing military exports to China.
© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Beijing angered by reports Europe may reconsider decision
The Associated Press
Updated: 8:31 a.m. ET March 22, 2005
BEIJING - China appealed to the European Union on Tuesday to go ahead with plans to lift a 15-year-old arms embargo, reacting angrily to reports that action might be delayed because of Beijing’s passage of a law authorizing a military attack on Taiwan.
European diplomats say the EU is reconsidering a plan to lift the embargo following China’s passage of the law on March 14 authorizing an attack if Taiwan pursues independence.
At a minimum, a European diplomat said Monday such weapons as night-vision goggles and submarine technology would not be sold. Europeans have discussed a “code of conduct” designed to keep dangerous weapons out of China’s hands.
The Bush administration, in a long-public spat with its allies, has argued that the weapons could be turned against Taiwan as China attempts to assert its sovereignty over the island.
“Linking these two issues is unreasonable,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao. “The passage of the anti-secession law is an effort to ease tensions across the Taiwan Straits. ... The key to ease tensions is to check Taiwan’s secessionary forces and to stop all secessionist activities.”
The EU had appeared close to lifting the ban. But British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Sunday that the potential use of force has created “quite a difficult political environment.”
U.S. argues to keep embargo in place
France and Germany are lobbying to end the ban, while Washington has argued aggressively to keep it in place. The United States also bars arms sales to China. Both embargoes were imposed following Beijing’s bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.
Clarification of the European position is expected to come from the European Council in Brussels.
“The arms embargo against China is political discrimination, which is not in line with today’s reality,” Liu said at a regular news briefing. “The EU should do something to contribute to the growth of bilateral relations.”
China says it is unlikely to buy large amounts of European arms if the embargo is lifted, but analysts say Beijing is looking to Europe for high-tech equipment that it can’t get elsewhere.
China has spent billions of dollars in recent years on Russian fighter jets, submarines and other equipment as it tries to modernize its military and back up threats to invade Taiwan.
The EU says that a nonbinding code of conduct would help monitor exports to China.
Officials say the code is being strengthened and should help ensure that lifting the embargo does not produce a flood of risky or destabilizing military exports to China.
© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.