HC Deb 26 April 1999 vol 330 cc35-6W
Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he discussed with the Secretary of State of the United States of America United Kingdom support for the USA's draft resolution on China and Tibet at the 55 United Nations Commission on Human Rights. [82182]

Mr. Fatchett

We remain in close contact with our main partners, including the United States, in furthering the common objective of achieving concrete improvements in the human rights situation in China. Along with our European Union partners, we voted against a Chinese no-action motion at the UNCHR on 23 April which sought to prevent a vote on the US-tabled resolution.

Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds the United Kingdom decided at the General Affairs Council of the European Union not to co-sponsor a joint resolution with its partners on Chinese suppression of human rights in Tibet for the 55 United Nations Commission on Human Rights. [82181]

Mr. Stevenson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) for what reasons he did not table or co-sponsor during the recent General Affairs Council of the European Union a resolution on human rights in China for the 55 UN Commission for Human Rights; and if he will make a statement; [82147]

(2) if he intends to support the draft resolution on China and Tibet tabled by the United States at the 55 UNCHR; [82146]

Mr. Fatchett

We believe, as do our European Union partners, that continued dialogue and co-operation with China on human rights is more likely to bring about concrete improvement than repeated UN resolutions, all of which have failed to be adopted in the past. This dialogue-based approach has made limited progress in some areas and we will be pressing China for further concrete steps. The General Affairs Council therefore decided on 22 March not to table or co-sponsor a resolution on China at this year's Commission on Human Rights.

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