B4-0878, 0890, 0892, 0909, 0914 and 0925/95

Resolution on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre

The European Parliament,

-recalling its previous resolutions on China,

A.recalling its condemnation of the harsh repression by the Chinese authorities of the pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing, Chendong and other parts of China in June 1989,

B.drawing attention to the report of Human Rights Watch on forced exile and the fact that on 31 May 1995 several dissidents were persecuted in the approach to the sixth anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square and noting that another, Mr Canton Wang Xizhe, has since been imprisoned for speaking to foreign journalists,

C.noting the growing activity of pro-democracy movements, and the continued repression of such activities,

D.having regard to the petition signed by numerous personalities calling for the release of political prisoners in China, and to the open letter sent to the President of the Chinese Parliament by Qiao Shi and 53 other political prisoners,

E.recalling the European Union Treaty's references to human rights and to democracy in the world and the priority attached to them,

1.Condemns the continuing violation of human rights in China and reaffirms its support for the democratic forces in China which defend fundamental human rights, including the right to free expression, the right of association, press freedom and political pluralism;

2.Calls on the Chinese Government to release all those held for their opinions or for attempts to express them and especially to amnesty those in prison for their participation in the manifestations of Tianenmen in 1989;

3.Calls on the Chinese Government to publish the names of those who were killed during the events of June 1989 by the police, the army and other agents of repression, as demanded by the mothers of the victims;

4.Calls on the Commission and Council to stress their attachment to respect for human rights in their diplomatic and commercial dealings with the Chinese authorities and to stress to the Government of China that the development of EU relations with China will largely depend on the attitude of the Chinese Government to human rights;

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and to the government of the People's Republic of China.