AFP: Human Rights Talks With China Failing, British Report Says

LONDON, Nov 29, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) Britain's strategy of dialogue with China on human rights has failed to produce any results, according to a parliamentary report Wednesday which urged ministers to toughen their line.

The cross-party committee of Members of Parliament said that over the past two years, while the government had been following a "constructive" approach, it had produced no "meaningful results."

In fact, the report said, there had been a "serious deterioration" in the human rights situation in China.

In a strongly worded report, the Members of Parliament said the worsening abuses should be a "matter of great common concern" to ministers.

They criticized the Foreign Office for not carrying out a proper analysis of the situation.

They also warned of the danger of ministers becoming "transfixed" by the lucrative economic opportunities opening up in China and insisted there must be no "trade off" between pursuing human rights and improving trade.

The report said Britain, together with other EU nations, should "toughen" its line and make plain that unless China's record on human rights improved, Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games would be "inappropriate."

When Britain's Labor Party took power in May 1997, it promised to pursue an "ethical" foreign policy.

However, last year, a visit by Chinese President Jiang Zemin became mired in controversy when police stifled protests by pro-Tibet groups.

His visit coincided with contracts worth around two billion pounds (three billion dollars) for British companies. ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)

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