WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (AFP) - The United States indicated Friday that relations with top ally Britain are unlikely to be strained if London joined the European Union in lifting an arms embargo on China.
"I think our relationship with the British has far transcended any particular issue, given the number of areas, the myriad of areas where we cooperate," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters.
Boucher conceded that the arms embargo was an issue where the United States and Britain probably did not see eye-to-eye but added "we will see how the European Union decides to act, if and when they do."
Britain, the United States' strongest ally in the war in Iraq, said last week a 15-year-long European Union embargo on selling armaments to China is likely to be lifted in the next six months, despite Washington's objections.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he expected the ban, imposed in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, to be lifted during Luxembourg's current tenure at the rotating presidency of the EU, which runs until the end of June.
The embargo was imposed in the wake of the Chinese military's massacre of student protestors and dissidents during the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in which hundreds if not thousands were killed.
Washington says resuming arms sales to China could undermine East Asian security, endanger Taiwan and hurt efforts to push China to improve human rights.
But Straw, on a visit to China Friday, defended the EU campaign to lift the embargo, saying the Europeans would have to work to ease tensions with the Americans over the issue.
In an interview Wednesday with the Financial Times, Straw said EU and US officials would have to "manage those differences" in the next few months.
EU leaders in December declared their "political will" to lift the arms embargo on China, while also stressing that Beijing must respect human rights and regional stability
"We have continued to make clear that we believe it's not time to lift the embargo on arms sales to China because of the human rights conditions in China," Boucher said Friday.
He said US Secretary of State Colin Powell had discussed the matter with the EU and it would remain a subject of further talks with the Europeans as they consider revoking the weapons ban.
"I think we've made our point very clearly. We have held to that position, that it's not time to lift the arms embargo on China. And we continue to hold to that position.
"So we'll continue to discuss it with them and hope they would consider our views as they try to determine the best course of action for the European Union," Boucher added.
On reports that Straw would visit Washington soon to discuss the arms embargo with US leaders, Boucher said: "No, I can't confirm anything at this point.
"It would be for the British government to announce any travels for Secretary Straw."
01/21/2005 20:32 GMT - AFP