Related: EU has "political will" to lift China arms embargo
BRUSSELS, March 23 (Xinhuanet) -- EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Wednesday that keeping the Europe Union (EU)'s armsban on China is "not justified" as the situation has changed from 15 years ago.
"It is not justified to maintain it (the embargo)," Solana told reporters as he arrived for an EU summit.
Solana said China is making progress on human rights. He mentioned in particular Washington's decision this year not to present a resolution on human rights against China at the current session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
"Things are moving (on human rights)," he said, noting the EU had a regular dialogue with China on human rights.
Solana said the 25-nation bloc was still assessing the issue but was moving toward "a political decision to end a situation that we think is unfair to maintain sanctions against China".
The European Union, keen to boost trade and diplomatic ties with China, agreed in principle last December to lift the ban, imposed in 1989, by the end of June. The United States is bitterly opposed to the plan, saying it would affect the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait. Enditem |