EU calls on China to allow ‘meaningful access’ to Xinjiang

FILE PHOTO: A Chinese police officer takes his position by the road near what is officially called a vocational education centre in Yining

GENEVA (Reuters) – European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on China on Tuesday to allow U.N. human rights boss Michelle Bachelet to visit and investigate alleged mistreatment of Muslim Uighurs in the Xinjiang region and of people in Tibet.

Borrell, addressing the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, said: “Once again, we urge China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including High Commissioner Bachelet. This is key to enable an independent, impartial and transparent assessment of the grave concerns that the international community has.”

Borrell denounced “unacceptable repression against peaceful protesters in Russia” and called for restoring the “legitimate civilian government” in Myanmar, overturned in a Feb. 1 military coup, adding: “There, as everywhere, democracy must prevail.”