The United States could restrict transfers of sensitive defense technology to European Union countries if EU members support a French effort to end the bloc's 15-year arms embargo on China, a senior State Department official said Thursday. Washington argues that lifting the European embargo could undermine stability in East Asia and hurt efforts to improve human rights in China.

President Jacques Chirac of France was preparing to visit China on Friday, and has again urged his EU partners to drop the ban, which was imposed after the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. " France favors lifting the embargo," Chirac said Thursday in an interview with China's official Xinhua News Agency. Chirac and other European leaders will meet Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China at a weekend EU-Asia summit meeting in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. France is expected to try to have the arms ban lifted when foreign ministers from the 25 EU nations hold their regular monthly meeting Monday in Luxembourg.

Many European countries, including the Netherlands, Great Britain and Ireland, will not block a consensus on this issue. They demand all concerns to be considered, especially human rights issues, the Chinese military threat to Taiwan and the increasing flow of arms between Europe and China, diplomatic sources declared.

EU nations also face pressure from human rights groups and the European Parliament against lifting the arms ban. UNPO with other International NGOs launched an appeal to help Europe keep the embargo on arms sales to China.

Despite the promises during its 2008 Olympics candidacy, the Beijing regime continues to grossly violate the human rights of the people of mainland China, Tibet and East Turkestan. It also threatens international security with ongoing threats against Taiwan. It refuses to finalize the ratification process of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

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