EU arms embargo against China slides into chaos

Telegraph ^ | 03/23/05 | David Rennie

[Pikamax]

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".

[Wuli]

This will be an event-defining issue in the 2008 elections. Who is going lose Taiwan?

[Renderofveils]

Apparently the Taiwanese.

[Wuli]

Hardly, they are more at risk than Kuwait semmed to be in 1990/91 and the stakes are far greater.

[Paleo Conservative]

This will be an event-defining issue in the 2008 elections. Who is going lose Taiwan?

Sounds like an issue from the 1960 election.

[nkycincinnatikid]

And for the french who is going to buy their warships? 1 Where propellor was 2 Large hole in flight deck 3 Admirals Panic Room 4 Large squashed insect 5 Dreyfus Memorial 6 Truffle bin 7 Chambres separe 8 salle de fromage 9 Champagne reactor 10 Officers Panic Room 11 Ballet salon 12 Spare rudders, propellors, fromage,etc.

[Wuli]

India seems ready to buy French built submarines.