Chinese, EU officials meet to discuss lifting arms ban

AP , BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Wednesday, Mar 10, 2004,Page 5

Senior Chinese and EU officials held talks as the EU considers lifting a 15-year arms embargo banning European companies from seeking contracts with the Chinese military.

EU officials said Zhang Yesui, China's vice-foreign minister in charge of relations with western Europe, raised the embargo with EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten at the start of two days of talks in Brussels.

One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zhang told the EU that the embargo was "inappropriate" to China's current relations with the 15-nation bloc.

Pushed by France and Germany, EU leaders are widely expected to lift the arms embargo at a March 25-26 summit in Brussels, although some EU member nations have expressed concerns over human rights in China and its policy toward Taiwan.

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