Posted on 12/06/2004 11:00:32 AM PST by SunkenCiv
This issue of lifting the 15-year old ban on arms sales - put in place following the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 – has been on the EU’s agenda for months, with no agreement so far. Some member states - in particularly the UK and the Netherlands - remain cautious about lifting the ban. But this renewed pressure could make it more difficult for individual states to openly oppose lifting the ban for fear of being singled out... To try and entice the sceptics China has hinted it may be ready to ratify a UN covenant on civil and political freedoms, a long time EU demand... Commission officials say privately that this could help the discussion in Brussels, coupled with an agreement to strengthen the EU’s general code of conduct for arms exports... But stiff opposition to lifting the ban is also coming from Washington, which is concerned about China's rising power and its acquisition of hi-tech military equipment, which could be used against Taiwan.
(Excerpt) Read more at euobserver.com ...
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EU set to lift China arms embargo despite US concernsThe European Union on Wednesday (9 February) indicated that it would go ahead and lift its arms embargo on China despite repeatedly expressed concerns by the US... The EU is set to lift its embargo within the first half of this year but is in the process of making a general code of conduct on arms sales stricter.
by Honor Mahony
Feb 10 2005
Nothing will cool Europeans to the idea of the EU Constitution faster than having the US gov't endorse it. ;') "Hey, why is the US in favor of it? Isn't this something that's supposed to be disadvantageous to them?"US ambassador warns on China arms embargoThe US ambassador to the European Union has warned that the transatlantic dispute over the EU's proposed lifting of the China arms embargo could escalate into something "very very serious". In an interview with the EUobserver, Rockwell Schabel said, "We feel that it is the wrong thing to do and particularly now that this law has been passed", he said referring to a law passed by the National People's Congress of China authorising an invasion of Taiwan if the island seeks independence... "What you're going to get is the American Congress that is going to take a stand and say wait a minute, if the Europeans are selling arms in which we have potentially our technology, you're going to get companies that are not going to be able to sell their weapons to the Europeans anymore"... The ambassador also spoke out in favour of the European Constitution, which Brussels is hoping to see in place by late next year.
by Honor Mahony
March 18 2005
EU becomes China's biggest trading partner
EU Observer | January 10 2005 | Richard Carter
Posted on 01/12/2005 7:54:57 PM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319693/posts
Russians fear Chinese takeover
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Published: 12 April, 2001 Author: bbc.co.u
Posted on 04/12/2001 12:54:26 PDT by It'salmosttolate
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ad607f20bf6.htm
US begins to be more assertive with China as terror, Iraq concerns easeThe Bush administration is becoming more assertive with China on issues ranging from trade and currency to nuclear proliferation as concerns over Iraq and terrorism begin to ease. The change in approach comes amid mounting pressure from Congress, concerned about a swelling trade deficit with China on the back of an undervalued yuan currency, and Beijing's seeming reluctance to use its enormous clout to reign in North Korea's nuclear weapons drive... [T]he administration is slowly turning the screws on Beijing... In a surprise move, senators voted 67-33 this month to allow consideration of a bill championed by Democratic Senator Charles Schumer that will impose a 27.5 percent tariff on all Chinese imports if China does not revalue in six months... Washington is also signalling to China that despite its 20 months of chairing a six-party negotiating process to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program, there seems to be little or no progress. In an emergency dispatch sent last week, Washington reportedly warned Beijing that Pyongyang was possibly planning a nuclear weapons test. In addition, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that she may seek UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang.
Yahoo / AFP
Sat, Apr 23, 2005
They should lift if under one condition.
Where France would train the chicoms in military doctrine.
Nice touch.
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