Fed: Howard should talk human rights with Chinese leader - Brown

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Fed: Howard should talk human rights with Chinese leader - Brown

CANBERRA, Aug 19 AAP - The dignity of Australia required that Prime Minister John Howardraise human right issues with Chinese President Hu Jintao when he visits, Greens SenatorBob Brown said today.

Mr Howard announced the visit today saying such a visit would be a show of how closelyBeijing regarded its relationship with Canberra.

"All heads of state are welcome visitors to Australia but the fact is he needs to beconfronted about the terrible record that serial Chinese governments have had on humanrights and on their military occupation on Tibet in particular," Senator Brown told reporters.

"Prime Minister Howard needs to keep in mind that you would be in jail if you triedto establish the Liberal Party, or The Greens, in China.

"There are thousands of people in Chinese jails for their religious or their politicalbeliefs and that is repugnant to Australians.

"It's incumbent on the Prime Minister to speak fair and square to the Chinese leadershipabout those matters."

He said human rights matters should be discussed in the context of free trade negotiationsbetween the two countries.

"The dignity of Australia insists that the Prime Minister speak up on human rights and Tibet."

AAP dep/maur

KEYWORD: CHINA BROWN