Greece has blocked a European Union statement criticizing human rights in China. About it reports Reuters.
It was planned that the EU will submit a claim with a unified position of all member countries at the meeting of the UN Council on human rights, but Athens is against it. According to the Agency, this is the first case when the European Union failed to submit a statement to the Council on human rights. Earlier statements criticizing China regularly blocked Hungary, but at this level this happens for the first time.
According to the statements of the Greek foreign Ministry, the Declaration contained “unconstructive criticism” of China. “From the point of view of Greece, this approach was counterproductive, — stated in the text. — In many cases of selective criticism of individual countries is not conducive to improving the situation of human rights in these countries and leads to a deterioration of bilateral relations.” According to the press Secretary of the foreign Ministry of Greece, there are other countries-EU members that share this point of view.
The European Union has criticized Greece’s decision. One of the diplomatic sources referenced in the Agency, pointed out that Athens has blocked a statement in spite of the decision of the IMF and the EU authorities have agreed to give Greece additional money to combat the effects of the financial crisis. “This, at least, it’s not fair”, — quotes Agency the words of the diplomat.
Greece is actively developing economic ties with China. In 2016 the Chinese company COSCO Shipping has purchased 51 percent of the shares of the largest Greek port of Piraeus.