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China warns EU against interfering in internal matters

AFP

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao (L) shakes hands with Czech President Vaclav Klaus at the EU-China summit at Prague Castle in the Czech capital on 20 May 2009. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned the European Union at a summit against interfering in internal affairs, in an allusion to past tensions over the Dalai Lama.AFP/Getty Images/Michal Cizek/Czech Republic

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned the European Union at a summit Wednesday against interfering in internal affairs, in a reference to past tensions over the Dalai Lama.

“In conducting strategic cooperation between China and the EU the most important thing is to stick the principles of mutual respect and not interfere in each other’s internal affairs,” he told journalists in Prague.

He also stressed the need to “accommodate each other’s major concerns, properly handle sensitive issues and work to ensure that our balanced relationship will not be affected by individual incidents.”

Wen was speaking after a summit hosted by Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency. European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso was also present.

The summit was originally set for December but China called it off in protest against a meeting between the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who then headed the EU’s presidency.

Copyright © 2009 AFP

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