By Nicola Smith - 1st April 2004
The US has launched a diplomatic campaign to block the lifting of an EU arms ban on China.
According to the Financial Times, Washington has demanded a series of formal talks with European capitals on the issue.
An arms embargo was slapped on China by the EU following the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen square in 1989.
The Bush administration is reported to believe the French-led drive to lift the embargo is an attempt by President Jacques Chirac to reopen commercial ties with Beijing.
It is also concerned Chirac may be making a geopolitical play to China at a time when the US is at pains to publicly back Taiwan.
France has argued that the ban is now anachronistic but other EU member states have been reluctant to make a swift decision fearing that the timing may not be right.
Reservations from EU member states, particularly Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, mean a rapid resolution of the issue is not on the table.
Some in the Bush administration are believed to be concerned that the UK is not showing more forceful opposition to the move.
EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten has urged Beijing to show “significant improvements” in human rights if it wants to persuade more sceptical European capitals that the time is ripe for change.
But EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has been more public in his support for changing the status quo, stating on a recent visit to China that the EU would try to review its weapons embargo without harming bilateral ties or boosting the arms trade.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.