December 6, 2004:

FRANCE BACKS LIFTING OF CHINA ARMS EMBARGO

"Of course we [scil., the French] are in favour of a lifting of the embargo. It no longer corresponds to the reality of the Euro-Chinese strategic partnership," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Cecile Pozzo di Borgo.

"Member states of the EU agree on this ... The discussions are focussed on the timetable and modalities for the lifting of the embargo," she said.

December 8, 2004:

E.U. SAYS TIME NOT RIGHT TO LIFT CHINA ARMS BAN

The European Union is not yet ready to lift an arms embargo on China, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said just before the start of a summit with Chinese leaders Wednesday. "We are working assiduously but...the time is not right to lift the embargo," Bot told reporters. The Netherlands holds the bloc's rotating presidency.

The embargo was expected to take center stage at the EU-China summit, with a number of countries, headed by France and Germany, pressing for an end of the ban which they see as a relic of the Cold War.

Huh? Reuters or France and Germany are wholly confused. The embargo was imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989. The Cold War refers to the West's strategy of containment, roughly from 1945-1991. The embargo wasn't a containment action, it was a sanction against China for openly killing its citizens. Were the embargo a containment action one would expect to find it in place for the greater part of the Cold War.

But others, including the EU's executive Commission, have called for greater improvements in China's human rights record before the embargo is eased. They also want a new EU code of conduct on arms exports to ensure greater transparency.

France is probably reasoning something like this: Tiananmen Square was no Abu Ghraib. Or maybe this: Tiananmen Square? That is so yesterday. Then again maybe this:

"There is an important place to be taken in China and France must take it," [Jack] told French television.

Regarding human rights, Mr Chirac said that a stand on the issue was both necessary and "a source of pride" for him.

But he added that to be effective in China, "a measure of discretion" was needed.

Only Jack could be so vaingloriously self-admiring to think the Chinese give a rat's ass about his thoughts on human rights. And Jack's discretion is notorious. And this was so discreet the American press actually reported it.

Critics have accused Mr Chirac of neglecting human rights concerns in China, in an effort to improve business ties.

You think?

French President Jacques Chirac said in a newspaper interview on Tuesday that Britain has gained nothing from its support for the United States-led invasion of Iraq.

France simply has no concept of principle. They are not only incapable of acting on it, but cannot concieve that anyone else would either.

Doesn't Chirac have anything better to do with his time than criticize the US? I'm sure there is at least one scandal to bury, dictator to bribe, or African to kill. Once again, Chirac missed an excellent opportunity to shut up.

Jacques Chirac is a joke! Only the French like the French. :)