http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/03/23/weu23.xml
EU arms embargo against China slides into chaos By David Rennie in Brussels (Filed: 23/03/2005) The European Union's fragile consensus on lifting its arms embargo on China was crumbling last night as Tony Blair arrived for a summit in Brussels. Lifting the ban, an initiative spearheaded by France and Germany, appeared certain only weeks ago. However, the proposal to end the arms freeze provoked a furious reaction from America and warnings from the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, that allies "should do nothing" to alter the balance of power in Asia. American anger, and apparent British second thoughts, were stoked still further by China's passing of an "anti-secession law" last week, authorising military force against Taiwan if it declared formal independence from Beijing. As Mr Blair flew to Brussels, Downing Street denied that Britain was leading a covert drive to postpone lifting the embargo, which dates back to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The Prime Minister's official spokesman played down reports that Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, had discreetly reached out to EU counterparts in an attempt to delay lifting the ban. Downing Street said Mr Blair remained convinced that a planned "code of conduct" governing all EU arms exports to China, though non-binding, could address US concerns. Mr Blair's spokesman insisted that Britain was not pushing the issue and that the key was forging a European consensus. The arms embargo was not on the formal agenda for the summit, but senior diplomats said they were braced for the thorny subject to be raised by one or more EU leaders or foreign ministers. British hopes for a fresh "consensus" appeared dim as French diplomats vowed that President Jacques Chirac, who is keen to build up EU-China ties, is committed to lifting the arms embargo. The export ban is scheduled to be lifted as early as this June. A spokesman for Javier Solana, the EU high representative on foreign and security policy, said that "officially" that timetable remained in place. China rejected any idea that its anti-secession law might have cast a shadow over lifting the embargo. "There is no link between China's wish to push for the EU's lifting of the embargo and the passing of the anti-secession law. Linking these two issues is unreasonable," a foreign ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, said. Mr Liu said the arms embargo, which has not prevented France, Britain and other EU nations from selling hundreds of millions of pounds in military-related equipment to China, was "outdated long ago". ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
