EU-China reconciliation summit deadlocked over differences (Roundup)

May 20, 2009, 19:08 GMT

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.