Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday, February 25, 1996

Submitted by: trcseattle@igc.apc.org

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 1996 (Kyodo) -- The United States will join the European Union in proposing a U.N. resolution criticizing China's poor human rights record, government sources said Friday.

Washington and Brussels will jointly submit a draft resolution on the issue to a U.N. human rights committee meeting slated for mid-March in Geneva.

The committee last year voted down a similar proposal by the U.S., Europe and Japan, but not without incurring the rancor of China.

Beijing, which has warned the U.S. against repeating such a ''plot,'' will undoubtedly ruffle at the move, putting a damper on already frayed U.S.-China relations.

One U.S. government source said President Bill Clinton is bracing for a certain negative effect on bilateral ties.

The decision on the proposal, made last week in a meeting of top administration officials involved in China affairs, was prompted by recent Chinese crackdowns on pro-democracy activists, including Wei Jingsheng arrested recently and those in the Tibet Autonomous Region.