- Title: BELGIUM: Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Brussels for talks
- Date: 2nd May 2012
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MAY 1, 2012) (REUTERS) CHINESE DELEGATION AIRPLANE PARKED AT BRUSSELS AIRPORT CHINESE FLAG CHINESE DELEGATION PLANE S.E. LI KEQIANG , CHINESE VICE PRIME MINISTER'S CAR ARRIVING AT AIRPORT FACILITIES BELGIAN AND CHINESE FLAGS FLYING NEXT TO EACH OTHER (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) S.E. LI KEQIANG, CHINESE VICE PRIME MINISTER WELCOMED BY BELGIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER , DIDIER REYNDERS DIDIER REYNDERS AND S.E. LI KEQIANG ENTERING THE PREMISES CHINESE DELEGATION LISTENING TO MINISTERS LI KEQIANG AND DIDIER REYNDERS TALKING DIDIER REYNDERS TALKING LI KEQIANG TALKING CHINESE DELAGATION WITH DIDIER REYNDERS DIDIER REYNDERS TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIDIER REYNDERS, BELGIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER SAYING: "I was pleased to hear that it was possible to go further with the modernisation process. There is an opening process in China, and of course to reinforce the capacity to sustain the development of human rights in the country. And we also discussed Syria and Iran, because the problem of human rights is very huge problem at the moment in Syria. I was pleased to hear that China supported the plan of Kofi Annan, the six different phases, and I am sure that it is the best strategy to achieve a political dialogue in Syria. It was very important to see initial movement in recent weeks about that." CHINESE DELEGATION COMING OUT OF THE MEETING CHINESE OFFICIALS WAITING OUTSIDE THE BUILDING LI KEQIANG GOING BACK TO ITS CAR GREETING BELGIAN DELEGATION BELGIAN AND CHINESE FLAG CHINESE VICE PRIME MINISTER'S CAR LEAVING AIRPORT
- Embargoed: 17th May 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABPCF4LGZYEPWKJJH6RPQ0RF83
- Story Text: Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Brussels on Tuesday (May 1) for a series of talks with Belgian and EU officials.
Li was welcomed by Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Reynders, before the two men met for talks on a range of issues. Li left Brussels airport without speaking to journalists. But Reynders briefed reporters on their discussion.
"I was pleased to hear that it was possible to go further with the modernisation process," he said. There is an opening process in China, and of course to reinforce the capacity to sustain the development of human rights in the country. And we also discussed Syria and Iran, because the problem of human rights is very huge problem at the moment in Syria. I was pleased to hear that China supported the plan of Kofi Annan, the six different phases, and I am sure that it is the best strategy to achieve a political dialogue in Syria. It was very important to see initial movement in recent weeks about that."
A shaky ceasefire between rebels and government forces in Syria was brokered by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan last month.
The United Nations now has 30 truce monitors in Syria, a sprawling nation of 23 million people, and officials in New York said they expected all members of the planned 300-member mission to be on the ground by the end of the month.
Paris has led European calls for U.N. sanctions against Damascus, but the West can do little given the diplomatic cover Syria enjoys at the Security Council from China and Russia.
Officials said Li was due to meet Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo on Wednesday (May 2), when the two nations were expected to sign a bilateral agreement.
Li was scheduled to meet European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Thursday (May 3), officials said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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