Prague - At a summit meant to highlight reconciliation, the
European Union and China hit a deadlock on Wednesday in Prague as
they failed to agree on common language on any of the key points
dividing them.
The two sides failed to bridge differences on areas that includr
Myanmar, North Korea, Taiwan, climate change, trade liberalization
and minority rights.
China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao asked the EU to expand
'practical cooperation' instead of pushing China into changing its
positions on international as well as internal issues.
'The most important thing is to stick to the principles of mutual
respect and not interfere in each others internal affairs,' the
Chinese premier told a news conference after the summit.
He also called on the 27-member bloc 'to ensure that our bilateral
relationship will not be adversely affected by individual incidents.'
China delayed the annual summit, originally planned to take place
on December 1 in the French city of Lyon, for five months to protest
a meeting by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, then the holder of the
EU presidency, with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
Ahead of the summit, each side had proposed a lengthy draft of
their common position, which showed 'significant differences' on the
controversial topics, diplomats close to the preparations said.
In two hours of talks, EU leaders and the Chinese premier failed
to overcome those variances.
And while the EU's draft stretched to 10 pages and the Chinese to
seven, the two sides issued a one-page joint statement, in which they
boiled down chapters on problem areas to one vague paragraph.
The EU failed to persuade China to put pressure on Myanmar's
military junta to start talks with pro-democracy forces and release
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been on trial since
Monday for allegedly breaching the terms of her six-year detention.
Contrary to the EU's wishes, the summit also failed to condemn
North Korea's April 5 missile test and urge it to resume
international talks on halting its nuclear programme.
Regarding Tibet, the bloc wanted China to commit to 'freedom of
speech and the rights of ethnic minorities,' a wording China would
not accept.
The two sides also could not agree on their approach to global
warming in the run-up to a United Nations conference to be held in
December in Copenhagen, which should produce a global deal on curbing
the climate change to be in force from 2013.
While China wanted the EU to urge developed countries to help the
developing ones with cutting emissions of planet-warming greenhouse
gases, the bloc wanted China to 'step up its efforts' to tackle
global warming.
'All the major economies have now to put their position on the
table. ... I am sure that China will also engage fully,' European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said after the talks.
Beijing, for its part, was unsuccessful in persuading the EU to
quickly recognize China as a 'full market economy,' a step which
would carry wide benefits for trade and investment in the country.
'We hope that the EU will recognize China's market economy status
and lift its arms embargo against China as early as possible,' the
Chinese premier said.
USA
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