The EU Foreign Ministers Conference in Brussels ended on September 9. The ministers did not reach a common understanding on lifting the embargo. France generally supports lifting it, but it believed a wide agreement is needed before action can be taken. Luxemburg’s Foreign Minister was disappointed about the situation and believed the EU could impose some condition in return for the lift, such as asking China to sign the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Other conditions noted in a document obtained by AFP are improving the relationship with Taiwan and pardoning those arrested in the Tiananmen Incident.
The EU arms embargo was put in place after the 1989 Tiananmen Incident. For the past several years, the EU has been reviewing this policy, but with no concrete results.
Source: Radio France International, September 12, 2010
http://www.chinese.rfi.fr/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20100912-%E6%AC%A7%E7%9B%9F%E5%9C%A8%E8%A7%A3%E9%99%A4%E5%AF%B9%E5%8D%8E%E6%AD%A6%E5%99%A8%E7%A6%81%E8%BF%90%E4%B8%8A%E5%88%86%E6%AD%A7%E4%BE%9D%E6%97%A7