April 6, 2002

The South China Morning Post has reported that the European Parliament is set to approve a resolution next week condemning China for its human rights record and demanding an end to oppression of minorities, particularly in Tibet.

The EU's elected representatives are due to vote next Wednesday on a report drawn up by Portuguese member Vasco Graoa Moura from the majority conservative European People's Party on behalf of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs. His report is expected to easily pass the House and become a resolution with only minor amendments due to its smooth passage through the committee process, where only one Member of the European Parliament among 56 opposed it, with two abstentions.

While welcoming Beijing's support for the international fight against terrorism and calling for overall engagement with Beijing, the report emphasises that this cannot justify abuses of human rights and the rule of law, and that China must implement without delay the UN conventions that it has ratified. A draft of the resolution due for adoption says Parliament is still extremely concerned with the overall rights situation in China and it "notes with disquiet the increasingly high number of executions". It also condemns widespread use of torture against dissidents, Tibetan activists and Falun Gong practitioners among others.

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