MEPs endorse pro-Tibet resolution

All five Maltese MEPs voted in favour of a resolution approved by the European Parliament encouraging EU governments to take a stronger stand over China's crackdown on Tibetan protesters.

The resolution suggests that the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Beijing be uniformly boycotted if China does not open talks with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader.

The resolution "firmly condemns the brutal repression by the Chinese security forces of Tibetan demonstrators" and urges EU leaders to "find a common position with the option of non-attendance of the opening event of the Beijing Olympics" should there be no resumption of dialogue between the Chinese authorities and Tibet's spiritual leader.

The resolution, proposed by all the political groups, was accepted by 580 MEPs. Only 24 MEPs voted against and 45 abstained.

The non-binding resolution, as the Parliament has no competence in foreign affairs, continues to bring pressure to bear on EU governments to agree on a common stand against China's human rights record. The resolution is expected to be raised by the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, during talks with the EU presidency and the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Javier Solana.

According to European Parliament sources, Mr Poettering is in favour of an EU boycott.

EU member states are still divided over whether they should attend the Olympic Games opening ceremony. Some, including Britain and France, are taking a strong stand and others are still shying away from taking an official stand, and this in order not to offend China.

Earlier this week, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he will skip the opening, adding this was not as part of a boycott. On the other hand, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she never intended to go and French President Nicolas Sarkozy - who will be at the helm of the EU in August - has linked his attendance to developments on the ground.