Shane McEntee (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has held discussions with his counterparts relating to the possible lifting of the EU arms embargo on China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18620/05]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the possible lifting of the arms embargo on China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18619/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 51 together.

As stated on several previous occasions, the Government's position on the lifting of the EU arms embargo on arms sales to China is clear. We support the lifting of the embargo but we do not wish to see any increase in the quantity or quality of arms exports to China.

Our position was set out by the Taoiseach during his visit to Beijing in January 2005, when he also explained the importance to the EU of continued progress in the promotion and protection of human rights in China. The Government's position was repeated in May during the course of bilateral consultations with China which were held at senior official level in Dublin.

At its meeting in December 2004, the European Council reaffirmed its political will to continue to work towards lifting the arms embargo. It invited the incoming Luxembourg Presidency to finalise the well-advanced work on this issue in order to allow for a decision while underlining that the result of any decision should not be an increase in arms exports from EU member states to China.

The Council also recalled the importance of the EU code of conduct on arms exports, which has been in operation since 1998 and contains criteria for assessing such exports, including those relating to human rights, stability and security in the relevant region and the national security of friendly countries. The Council stressed the importance of the early adoption of a revised code of conduct on which work is continuing and which will reinforce existing EU controls and of a new instrument on arms exports known as the Toolbox. This instrument is being developed by the EU and comprises a set of measures which may be applied to a country when an arms embargo against it has been lifted. Essentially, it will provide for a greater level of information sharing and enhanced transparency within the EU regarding arms exports to countries which had been subject to an arms embargo. Discussions on the code of conduct and the Toolbox continue at official level.

As the EU works towards lifting the arms embargo, it has also engaged in recent weeks in a dialogue on the issue at senior official level with key partners, including the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Australia. EU Foreign Ministers reiterated their wish to develop further the relationship with China when they met for an informal discussion in Luxembourg on 15 and 16 April. The importance attached by the Union to human rights and the peaceful resolution of differences was reiterated in this context. The Ministers also agreed to continue to work on strengthening the code of conduct and on the so-called Toolbox, in line with the European Council mandate. These points were conveyed to Chinese Foreign Minister Li when he met the troika of EU Foreign Ministers at the EU-China ministerial meeting held in Beijing from 11-12 May 2005.

The Government continues to examine this issue with our EU partners, in the context of our overall relationship with China, our ongoing commitment to human rights and the broader regional and international context. I have not held discussions with EU colleagues on the lifting of the embargo since questions were last put in the House on 28 April. EU Ministers will resume consideration of a decision on lifting the embargo once technical work on revising the EU code of conduct on arms exports has been completed. A decision to lift the embargo will require unanimous approval among member states.