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Germany freezes contracts with China over human rights record

Monday 24 June 1996 23:02 BST
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Germany froze a series of official contacts with China in a row over Peking's human rights record in Tibet, but said it wanted to cool a heated diplomatic row before it boiled over. Construction Minister Klaus Topfer and Environment Minister Angela Merkel cancelled planned visits to China and a meeting of senior military officers set for Peking later this year is now off.

The moves came just a day after Peking, angered by a German parliamentary resolution last week condemning China's rights record in Tibet, said it was withdrawing an invitation for the Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, to visit next month. Reuter - Bonn

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