Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-05-Speech-3-238"
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"en.20060405.21.3-238"2
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".
Madam President, in reply to Mr Sonik’s question, I would like to begin by saying that the Council very much shares the honourable Member’s concern. That is also the reason why, several years ago now, the Council outlined a number of key areas in which the European Union is seeking to make progress in the dialogue process.
These include in particular the unrestricted exercise – both in public and in private – of the freedom of religion and belief and respect for cultural rights and religious freedom in Tibet and Xinjiang. Religious freedom has therefore been clearly highlighted on the agenda at meetings between the EU and China, not only at dialogue meetings but also at higher levels.
I can confirm from my own experience, both in my former work as a legal adviser who was also responsible for human rights and in my present position, that these subjects are in fact being raised at a great variety of levels.
In line with this conclusion of the Council, the European Union has regularly raised not only the persecution of Christians, the restrictions on house churches and the distribution of Bibles in prisons, but also the persecution of Buddhists, Muslims and members of the Falun Gong movement, a subject that the EU brings up on many occasions. We have also made it clear that in our view these practices are in breach of China’s international obligations.
Quite recently, freedom of religion was discussed in detail at the dialogues in September 2004 and October 2005, and the EU Troika has visited Tibet and Xinjang in connection with the dialogue. The EU has regularly called on China to comply with the recommendations of the UN special rapporteur and the UN committees relating to freedom of religion and belief. It has also continually raised specific cases and called on the Chinese authorities to investigate reports of torture and provide information on sentencing. The outcome of these talks up until now has been that while the EU has welcomed the opportunity to hold detailed talks with relevant ministers, authorities, etc, it found many of its concerns about restrictions of religious freedom in China confirmed.
In 2005, China sent an official invitation to the UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, and the EU looks forward expectantly to the confirmation of a date for the visit. It has to be said that this invitation itself is a major step forward. The European Union will continue to press at all levels for genuine freedom of religion and belief in China, not least as part of the process of ratification and implementation of the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights."@en1
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