The embargo was imposed 15 years ago after the massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.

France and Germany are pressing hard to end the arms embargo but opposition remains.

German foreign minister Joschka Fischer yesterday pointed to stronger EU guidelines on what arms should or should not be exported to third countries as a way forward.

The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw rejected claims that London was against ending the ban, however Sweden and Denmark were voicing reservations at the meeting in Luxembourg.

The Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller told Reuters that China's human rights situation has improved since 1989.

"But when the Chinese say that Tiananmen is over and done with... you can remind them that they still have 14 prisoners serving from Tiananmen", he said.

The US is also opposed to lifting the embargo saying it could send the wrong signal about China's human rights record.

Dutch Foreign Minister and current chair of the Council Bernard Bot said that a final decision was unlikely to come until after the next EU-China Summit, AFP reported. The next EU-China Summit will take place in the Netherlands on 8 December 2004. (Euobserver)

The campaign to help Europe keep the Embargo on Arms Sales to China continues and you can sign our appeal here.

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