according to this article from the new york times (free registration required), the EU has given in to US pressure, and will continue its arms embargo against china. here's a few of the important bits for those of you who don't want to subscribe:
WASHINGTON, March 21 - Yielding to pressure from President Bush and threats of retaliation from Congress, the European Union has put off plans to lift its arms embargo on China this spring and may not press the issue until next year, American and European officials said Monday.
The officials said that in addition to American pressure, European nations have been shaken by the recent adoption of legislation by the Chinese National People's Congress authorizing the use of force to stop Taiwan from seceding. The Chinese action, they said, jolted France and undercut its moves to end the embargo before June.
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European officials say the European Union will not back off its commitment, made last December and pressed by President Jacques Chirac of France, to lift the embargo at some point, but that doing so now would not be worth jeopardizing relations with the United States. [emphasis mine]
looks like maybe we're not the ones who need to be worried about improving relations with our neighbors across the atlantic, eh?
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