27 March, Geneva - This morning as the 56th UN Commission on Human Rights began its debate on the item dealing with "right to development", Mr. Chris Patten, the European Commissioner with Responsibility for External Relations, in a speech, indirectly criticised China-EU human rights dialogue. In his 15-minute speech he said:

"...while fully supporting the remarks made the Presidency - I hope member states will allow me to make a few additional general observations, without focussing on any specific country.

"The first is that debating human rights in the abstract can never be an excuse for inaction on the ground. Dialogue cannot substitute for deeds. And signing covenants - welcome though it may be - is not the same as ratifying and applying them. A signature should be an expression of unambiguous intent to implement them fully as soon as possible, and to respect their spirit immediately. It should certainty not be acceptable as a tool for diplomatic delay rather a commitment to action.

"Dialogue can be a legitimate alternative to one-sided criticism. There is room for both in our foreign policy. And if it shows results, public opinion will accept dialogue as a valid, even a better, alternative. But if the public continues to read about closed churches and political arrests, about continuing capital punishment and censorship, they will rightly wonder what is being achieved by all those allegedly 'full and frank' exchanges of views.

"Dialogue is not an end in itself. It is the means to an end.

"Secondly, it is neither morally acceptable nor economically wise to believe that closing one's eyes to abuses opens up opportunities for trade. There is an umbilical link between the interests of investors and exporters and the rights of citizens of the country they trade with. Both sides will benefit from respect for the rule of law, free speech and accountable, participative government."

Earlier in the morning, the Danish Foreign Minister, Mr. Niels Helveg Petersen, in an address to the Commission on Human Rights, spoke about the preference of his government "to deal with human rights problems in a constructive dialogue with other countries - bilaterally and multilaterally. Not only is this best in line with our democratic traditions, it is usually more effective. His statement following conditions as indispensable for such a dialogue to be constructive and effective:

-- Genuine willingness to conduct a proper dialogue -- Willingness and ability to solve human rights problems, and -- it must be possible to conduct the dialogue not only at the intergovernmental level, but also with the civil society and political opponents of the Government.

He also said that his government conducts its "human rights policy as a policy of demonstration or to point fingers, let alone engage in confrontation. It is however necessary to take up certain situations in a multilateral context. We do not undertake the human rights dialogue merely for the sake of dialogue. We do it to improve the protection of human rights in practice. Our credibility and the credibility of the international community often requires the Commission on Human Rights to take a stand."

Finally, the Danish Foreign Minister in a hint to China said: "As the Secretary General told the Commission on Human Rights last year, no country has the right to hide violations of human rights behind the principle of state sovereignty. We do not accept that countries shield under procedural motions or similar attempts to prevent the international community from dealing in specifics with this issue."

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