EU under pressure to push China, other Asian nations to abolish death penalty

[May 28, 2007]

EU under pressure to push China, other Asian nations to abolish
death penalty

(Associated Press WorldStream Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) HAMBURG,
Germany_

A human rights group put pressure on the European Union at
the start of talks between EU and Asia foreign ministers Monday to
push China and other Asian nations to abolish the death penalty

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In a letter sent to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
Amnesty International urged him to "make a special effort" to press
Asian foreign ministers at a meeting here to do away with capital
punishment.

"Asia continues to be the leading continent performing executions,"
the London-based group said. "Hanging, shooting or administering
lethal injections are examples of the execution methods used."

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Human rights, along with climate change, building closer trade and
energy ties and international issues like Iran and North Korea's
nuclear programs, are among the major issues on a crowded agenda at
the two-day meeting of about 40 ministers in this port city.

A separate EU-China meeting will be held before a working dinner
between EU and Asian foreign ministers.

Amnesty said Singapore has one of the highest rates of executions in
the world. It also condemned "secret" executions by China, adding it
believed Beijing put to death "at least" 1,010 people last year.

The group said Indonesia, Japan Vietnam and Malaysia also still use
the death penalty.

Dick Oosting, head of Amnesty's EU office in Brussels said many
Asian nations were using anti-terror and counter-narcotics programs
to justify the use of the death penalty.

Steinmeier was also expected to push China, India and others to cut
carbon dioxide emissions.

"We want to produce less carbon dioxide, because it's bad for the
climate, and make greater use of renewable energies," Steinmeier
said in an interview with Hamburger Abendblatt daily ahead of
Monday's talks.

"I hope we will be able to convince our ... partners to show similar
determination.

"

At a meeting last year in Helsinki, Finland, European and Asian
leaders promised to set new carbon reduction goals that go beyond
those set for 2012 under the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol. However, they
have set no firm targets, facing resistance from China and India.

With Asia's energy demand soaring _ pushing up oil prices _ Europe
is also eager to promote renewable energies and energy-efficient
technologies.

Police cordoned off a large part of Hamburg's historic center,
around the city hall where ministers were gathering for the talks.
Thousands of anti-globalization protesters were expected in what
could be a foretaste of bigger demonstrations expected for next
week's Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm, also in northern
Germany.

Demonstrators were being kept well clear of the EU-Asia venue after
Germany's highest court upheld a ruling that they must stay at least
500 meters (yards) away.

The EU launched its regular Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, in 1996.
Since then, the growth of India and China as major economic and
political players alongside Japan has given new impetus to efforts
by the 27-nation EU to boost ties with Asia and offer itself as an
alternative Western partner to the United States.

The EU agreed last month to open negotiations on free-trade pacts
with India, South Korea and the 10-nation ASEAN group. However, the
move raised fears that Europe was altering its trade policy,
downgrading its priority to reach a global trade deal through
negotiations at the World Trade Organization, which remain stalled.

The 43 nations attending the Hamburg talks will also address efforts
led by China and the U.S. to get North Korea to suspend its nuclear
weapons program.