Social Democrat Bozkurt, delivering a speech at the 45-minute-long session, asked Carl Bildt, the foreign minister of EU term-president Sweden, whether the EU plans to launch a concrete initiative concerning the situation of Uighur Turks living in Xinjiang. Bozkurt, of Turkish origin, didn't receive a satisfactory response.
Recalling the European Parliament's reaction to the situation in Honduras, Bozkurt said a similar reaction should be shown against the Chinese government due to the events in Xinjiang.
Also Wednesday, discussing the situation in Honduras, the European Parliament condemned the June 28 coup and urged the bloc's governments not to recognize de facto President Roberto Micheletti.
“This means that Europe can take concrete steps, if it wants to,” Bozkurt said, in apparent reference to the Honduras issue. “But unfortunately we were unable to get concrete responses about the Uighur Turks,” she said.
Bildt said in his address that China should be more careful in the treatment of its minorities and with its human rights record.
Others defended China. Adrian Severin, a Romanian MEP, said minority rights should not be used for separatist movements and for means to promote these policies. "We have to refrain from using minority rights as a means for promoting geopolitical goals," said Severin.
