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004063 MDHIA 355
IMPORTANT CHANGE IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION SINCE OCTOBER 1990 AND THERE WERE NO GROUNDS TO EXPECT A FUNDAMENTAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SITUATION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE HEADS OF MISSION REPORT DID REFER TO SOME INCREASED SENSITIVITY ON INDIVIDUAL CASES BUT IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE WOULD LOOK AT THE BALANCE OF ADVANTAGE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. SO THE EC HAD TO CONVINCE THE CHINESE THAT IT WAS TO THEIR DISADVANTAGE TO IGNORE REPRESENTATIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS MATTERS. THE EC'S POLICY ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GUIDELINES ON THE EC'S ASIA/LATIN AMERICA PROGRAMME, THE RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE LINE TAKEN BY THE EC OVER EG HAITI OR EAST TIMOR. IT WOULD BE FOR MINISTERS TO DECIDE ON ACTION TO UNDERLINE OUR CONCERNS TO THE CHINESE BUT THE
POLITICAL DIRECTOR'S SHOULD OUTLINE THE VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES :
EITHER SUSPENDING AID OR SETTING A CEILING ON AID AT THE PRE- TIANAMEN LEVEL, LIMITING AID TO POVERTY RELATED MEASURES, AND RENEWED DEMARCHES TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. IN ANY EVENT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN CLEARLY TO THE CHINESE THE PURPOSE OF
SUCH MEASURES.
3.
APPLEYARD (UK) SAID THAT HE AGREED BROADLY WITH THE CONCLUSIONS
OF THE HEADS OF MISSION REPORT. ANY CHANGE IN CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS
PRACTICE WOULD BE SLOW. THERE HAD BEEN SOME POSITIVE SIGNS OVER
THE LAST YEAR: THE RELEASE OF SOME DETAINEES AND A GREATER
WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT A DIALOGUE ON HUMAN RIGHTS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE VERDICTS IN LATEST TRIALS HAD BEEN HARSH. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO FOLLOW A CONSISTENT POLICY. THE
TWELVE HAD DECIDED IN OCTOBER 1990 TO RESUME COOPERATION GRADUALLY.
THERE HAD NOT BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION IN HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION SINCE THEN. RENEWED COOPERATION HAD PROVIDED A FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUING DIALOGUE ON HUMAN RIGHTS. WE SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THE EC'S CONCERNS OVER HUMAN RIGHTS BY PUBLICISING THE RECENT PRESIDENCY DEMARCHE ON DISSIDENT TRIALS. WE NEEDED TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT POLICY ON DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION. IT COULD SEND A CONFUSING SIGNAL IF WE NOW PUT A FREEZE ON AID. ASSISTANCE SHOULD
BE CAREFULLY TARGETTED TO HAVE MAXIMUM EFFECT ON OUR HUMANITARIAN
OBJECTIVES AND GOOD GOVERNMENT ISSUES. WE SAW NO NEED TO RESUSPEND
OUR OWN BILATERAL AID PROGRAMME.
4. DEJAMMET (FRANCE) SUPPORTED THE UK. HE SAID THAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD STICK BY THE DECISION REACHED IN OCTOBER 1990. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH CHINA ON HUMAN RIGHTS MATTERS. HE WOULD SUPPORT A CONSENSUS ON PUBLICISING THE
RECENT PRESIDENCY DEMARCHE ON DISSIDENT TRIALS. HE COULD ALSO SEE AN ARGUMENT FOR MAKING A SECOND DEMARCHE FOLLOWED BY A PUBLIC
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