Reuters-FOCUS-Myanmar would take pa

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Subject: Reuters-FOCUS-Myanmar would take part ``passively'' in the meeting

FOCUS-EU challenges Chinese human rights record
01:59 p.m Mar 29, 1999 Eastern
By Erik Kirschbaum

BERLIN, March 29 (Reuters) - The European Union said on Monday had
challenged China on its human rights record at a conference in Berlin, but
accepted that the violence in Yugoslavia showed Europe was not immune from
abuses.

Germany's deputy foreign minister, Ludger Volmer, said human rights was high
among topics at the second Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), an informal gathering
of foreign ministers from 25 EU and Asian countries.

``The question of human rights came up repeatedly, the problems in both Asia
and Europe,'' Volmer told a news conference after the meeting hosted by
Germany, which currently holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency.

``With the situation in Kosovo, we in Europe don't have the right to point a
finger,'' he added. ``We held intensive discussions. There were many
opportunities to discuss the human rights issue with China.''

Volmer added that the EU was deeply concerned'' about human rights abuses in
Myanmar and said there was ``no alternative'' to respecting human rights.

Leon Brittan, acting vice president of the European Commission, said even
sensitive issues such as Tibet had been discussed by the foreign ministers
in the forum, which produced a communique after eight hours of talks that in
the end skirted the human rights issue.

``The discussion with China on human rights was very full,'' Brittan said.
``Sensitive issues were discussed in depth. Of course the positions differed
dramatically.''

Volmer said the violence in Kosovo was deplorable but that the Asian
ministers had expressed their support.

``Kosovo was discussed and there was considerable understanding for the
European situation,'' Volmer said.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who could not attend the final
briefing because of the Kosovo crisis, opened the conference by rejecting
Chinese accusations that Europe was acting arrogantly by criticising human
rights abuses in Asia.

Fischer said EU nations had no interest in imposing western values on Asian
nations. But he said improved human rights would promote peace and stability
in Asia.

``It is neither intervention in domestic affairs nor western arrogance when
we in Europe point to the importance of human rights. We are not in any way

at all trying to impose our values on others.''

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan rejected the criticism. He told
Chinese journalists the comments constituted interference in China's
domestic affairs.

A separate meeting set for Tuesday of foreign ministers from the EU and
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) was scrapped because the EU
would not allow Myanmar to attend. The EU has long criticised Myanmar's
human rights record.

But Brittan said the Joint Cooperation Committee of the EU and ASEAN agreed
to a meeting in May in Bangkok. Myanmar would take part ``passively'' in the
meeting, according to Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.

Asia's recovery from the 1997 financial crisis was also an item central to
the conference agenda. Brittan said Asian ministers reported the progress
they had made in many Asian nations and reforms implemented so far.

``The progress is important, but there is a long way to go,'' he said.