By Le Tian (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-12-06 06:46

France has reiterated its call to lift the European Union (EU) arms embargo on China, saying the punitive measure no longer reflects the relationship between the EU and China.

Chinese observers welcomed the move Wednesday, saying it was a "wise and realistic" diplomatic step. Lifting the 18-year-old arms export ban will not only consolidate China-France ties, but also strengthen the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, they said.

The French foreign and defense ministries on Tuesday gave the call to lift the ban at a joint press conference on the country's arms exports in 2006.

Responding to a question on French President Nicolas Sarkozy's call to lift the embargo during his recent visit to China, a Foreign Ministry official said it doesn't conform to the EU's policy of building a full strategic partnership with China.

Xinhua quoted the official as saying that France wants continued consultations among EU countries and will try to get the ban lifted in light of a decision taken at a EU meeting in 2004. Lifting the embargo will send a "political message", he said, and does not mean France wants to increase its arms export to China.

The EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, formally put the lifting of the ban on its agenda in December 2004. But little progress has been made since because the EU is divided over the issue, with France's former and present leaderships supporting lifting of the ban and German Chancellor Angela Merkel opposing it.

France is due to assume EU's rotating presidency next year. So "we hope France's realistic attitude will help achieve coordination among the EU members who will finally reach a consensus on lifting the arms embargo", said Yu Sui, senior researcher with the Research Center of Contemporary World in Beijing.

China has requested repeatedly to the EU to lift the ban not because it wants to import weapons from EU countries, but because it wants the EU to do away with its political discrimination.

The 10th China-EU summit was held in Beijing last week. A communiqu issued after the meeting said the Chinese side reiterated that lifting the embargo would help strengthen China-EU ties, and urged the EU to do so as early as possible. The EU side recognized the importance of the matter, saying it would work towards lifting the ban on the basis of the Joint Statement of the 2004 China-EU Summit and subsequent European Council conclusions.

"As a comprehensive strategic partner of China, the EU should have all-round cooperation with China, not only in politics, trade and education, but also in the military field," Yu said.

A final resolution would take time because apart from the internal differences on the issue, the EU is under diplomatic pressure from the US not to lift the ban.