"Recent riots in Chinese province will test regime's human rights credentials" says Graham Watson

5.58.46pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 15th Apr 2005

Whilst EU ministers and officials continue to discuss the possibility of lifting the EU arms embargo on China, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe stays firm in calling EU leaders to maintain it. "If the Council decides to lift the embargo, it would send a very poor signal in three respects", outlined Graham WATSON, referring to informal meetings of EU foreign ministers over the weekend. "First, the Council would be ignoring the clear and repeated opposition of the European Parliament to lifting the embargo, before evidence of political reforms. Our position was reiterated yet again, this week in Strasbourg. Second, the US is likely to deny technology to Europe if there is a risk of arms transfer to the People's Republic of China. Third, we risk arming a country that has provided ballistic missile arsenals to Pakistan, Iran and North Korea", he insisted.

"Liberals and Democrats do not favour maintaining the embargo indefinitely but clear, strategic conditions should be spelled out by the Council and fulfilled by the Chinese authorities, before the embargo is lifted", Graham Watson explained. Those conditions should include: a Chinese recognition of governmental responsibility during the Tienanmen riots, the renunciation of aggression against Taiwan as well as the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. "As for the EU side, we need a binding agreement on arms exports rather than a non-binding code of conduct", he added.

As a reminder, the arms embargo was imposed by the EU in 1989 after the Tienanmen Square massacre of pro-democracy students. According to Graham WATSON, Europe should closely watch the Chinese reaction to recent protests held in the Huankantou village in Zhejiang province, where impoverished farmers have clashed with riot police this week. "The unrest in the Zhejiang province must not give way to a Tienanmen Square-style confrontation", stressed Graham Watson. "This crisis will undoubtedly be viewed by the international community as a test case of Chinese respect for human rights in addressing internal unrest", he added.

With increasing voices calling for the lifting of the embargo, the ALDE has been very vocal in expressing its position in recent weeks. Last month (10th March), the ALDE organised a public hearing on the question. The idea was to reflect upon the conditions under which the EU should review its 16 year-old ban. Speakers included Chinese and international human rights experts: "If the EU lifted the arms embargo, this would be a massive public relations coup for the Chinese government. What kind of message would that send out to members of the Chinese opposition who turn to Europe as a social and democratic model?" asked Meg DAVIS, representative of Human Rights Watch. Speaking at the hearing, Graham Watson said: "Pressure from within the EU to lift the arms embargo on China does not reflect political change in China, but rather a new willingness by some in Europe to ignore the lack of it".

Ten days after the hearing, 10 Members from the ALDE arrived in China for a five-day visit, where they met with key government leaders, EU diplomats and representatives of civil society. "Dialogue is important" said Graham Watson, "but the EU has always insisted on linking trade and commercial agreements to political dialogue and human rights. This is what we stand for as a Union".