BRUSSELS, Jan 22, 2001 -- (Agence France Presse) The European Union moved Monday to step up its human right dialogue with China, making it more "focused" as it tackles key areas in which China is seen to be dragging its feet.

Setting out a list of priorities, the 15-nation bloc specifically called for respect for the "fundamental rights" of political dissidents, religious faiths and the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

It also pressed Beijing to allow an independent delegation access to the young Panchen Lama, the second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism after the exiled Dalai Lama.

Reviewing the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue that dates back to 1997, EU foreign ministers noted China's "readiness to move forward" in areas relating to detention, the legal system and criminal sanctions.

Meeting in Brussels, the ministers also acknowledged "initial progress" towards adopting UN human rights covenants and reforming China's penal code and code of civil procedure.

"On the other hand, the European Union remains much concerned at the lack of progress in a number of areas," they said in a statement.

They include "the continuing widespread restrictions on freedom of assembly, expression and association," "violations of freedom of religion and belief," the situation with Tibetan and other national minorities, and "the frequent and extensive recourse to the death penalty."

But the ministers stressed "dialogue is the preferred channel for working to improve the situation." To that end, they agreed Monday to "step up the dialogue, focus it better and assess it on a continuous basis."

Preparations for dialogue sessions will be "more detailed," with a bigger role to be played by human rights experts as well as "greater continuity between sessions," the statement said.

Specific areas in which the European Union wants to see progress include:

-- Ratification and implementation of the UN covenants on civil and political rights, and its counterpart dealing with economic, social and cultural rights.

-- Cooperation with "human rights mechanisms" including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

-- Restrictions of cases in which the death penalty can be imposed, and provision of statistics on exactly how many people in China have been executed.

-- Respect for the right to fair and impartial trials, and for the right of an accused to be defended.

-- "Respect for the fundamental rights of all prisoners, including those arrested for membership of the political opposition, unofficial religious movements and other movements, such as the Falun Gong."

-- Progress on access to prisoners in autonomous regions of China, which include Tibet and Xinjiang.

-- "Untrammeled exercise of freedom of religion and belief," respect for the right of workers to organize, and respect for "cultural rights and religious freedoms" in Tibet and Xinjiang.

In addition, the EU called for "access for an independent delegation to the young Panchen Lama, Gedhun Chohekyi Nyima" who has been recognized by the Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India.

Since 1997 the European Union and China have held nine human rights dialogue sessions, described in Monday's statement as having been held "in an atmosphere of openness."

But the statement added that dialogue was an acceptable option "only if progress is achieved on the ground."

"The European Union will evaluate the results of the dialogue at regular intervals, to determine how far its expectations have been met," it said. ((c) 2001 Agence France Presse)

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