Conference notes:

1. There are discussions in the EU about ending the arms embargo on China
2. There are still political prisoners in China from the Tiananmen Square protest
3. North Korea has an appalling human rights record which is well documented elsewhere
4. In 2003 the government arranged trade fairs to promote arms sales. These were attended by representatives from North Korea and China, in addition to 12+ countries on Amnesty’s list of top human rights abusing nations despite the fact arms could not be sold to these countries under the EU embargo?
5. ELDR have been attempting to block the lifting of the arms embargo.
6. China continues to pursue a policy of repression and human rights abuses in Tibet
7. Burma has an oppressive military dictatorship and atrocious human rights record, going so far as to place the democratically elected president under house arrest
8. LDYS has policy on nvda (non violent direct action) available on the website @ http://www.ldys.org.uk/web/policy/directaction.html
9. LDYS has policy on the arms trade available on the website.

Conference believes that:

1. It is inappropriate to sell arms to authoritarian governments with appalling human rights records
2. It is utterly inappropriate to place an arms embargo against a country, yet still promote arms sales to that country
3. It would be utterly inappropriate to ignore the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Conference proposes:

1. To use all available powers to prevent the lifting of the arms embargo on China
2. That the LDYS executive should write a letter to Graham Watson,
3. Head of ELDR and to the Federal Party to express its views and state that it is willing to work with either to achieve its aims.
4. For LDYS to act on its own to achieve these aims, if necessary.
5. To oppose any attempts by China or any other such nations to attend British arms fairs.