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world news Diamars 24 mei 2022

EU to keep budget rules looser for longer amid war fallout

BRUSSELS (AP) — The as EU countries face a drop previous outlook, published
European Union has in energy trade with Russia, before Russia’s full-scale at-
moved to prolong loos- a surge in inflation and many tack on Ukraine, foresaw EU
er limits on spending by disruptions to supply chains. growth of 4% this year and
member countries for “Our economy is living 2.8% in 2023.
an extra year in a bid to through a second external Last year, the bloc’s economy
counter the economic shock — the second in two expanded 5.4% following a
fallout from Russia’s war years,” European Economy deep recession prompted by
in Ukraine. Commissioner Paolo Genti- the COVID-19 pandemic.
loni told reporters in Brus- EU gross domestic product
The European Commission sels. “The outlook is subject shrank 5.9% in 2020.
recommended on Monday to downside risks and very The plan to prolong the loos-
suspending the EU’s regu- high uncertainty.” er EU fiscal framework for an
lar rules on national budget The European Commission’s extra year comes amid expec-
discipline through 2023. The recommendation, which tations that inflationary pres-
27-nation bloc’s executive needs the approval of EU sures will prompt the Euro-
arm said member countries finance ministers, seeks to pean Central Bank in coming policies to unpredictable de- straint by EU countries.
need the longer fiscal flexibil- address short-term spending months to end years of loose velopments,” Gentiloni said. “Should it be agreed, the
ity to tackle heightened eco- needs by member countries monetary policy — including “We are far from economic ability to spend more doesn’t
nomic risks since the Russian to aid their economies with- record-low interest rates — normality.” mean one should,” Dutch Fi-
invasion on Feb. 24. out undermining a rulebook meant to help fuel economic The finance ministers of nance Minister Sigrid Kaag
The EU deactivated its full meant to prevent budget activity in the 19-nation zone Germany and the Nether- told reporters in Brussels at
controls on national debt lev- deficits from soaring to levels that uses the shared euro cur- lands, which are traditional a meeting with her euro-area
els in 2020 as a response to that triggered the Greek debt rency. defenders of budget auster- counterparts. “Debt sustain-
the COVID-19 pandemic. crisis in 2009. “As we navigate the new pe- ity across Europe, signaled ability and debt reduction in
That laxer framework was A week ago, the commission riod of turbulence caused by no intention to try to torpedo a transparent and clear man-
due to end at the end of this slashed its forecasts for EU Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission ner should also take place.”q
year. The planned extension economic growth to 2.7% governments must also have recommendation. Nonethe-
until the start of 2024 comes this year and 2.3% in 2023. Its the flexibility to adapt their less, they urged spending re-

Xinjiang in focus as U.N. rights chief arrives for China visit

BEIJING (AP) — Alle- Guangzhou University, her person Ned Price echoed
gations of human rights office said. that call last Friday, saying
abuses in northwestern Rights groups have called for the U.S. and others have
China’s Xinjiang region more information and ac- been calling for its release for
will dominate a visit by countability from China over months.
the United Nations’ top its policies in Tibet and Inner “The high commissioner’s
rights official that began Mongolia that restrict minor- continued silence in the face
Monday. ity cultural rights. A crack- of indisputable evidence of
down on freedoms in Hong atrocities in Xinjiang and
Michelle Bachelet’s trip is Kong has also led the U.S. other human rights viola-
the first to China by a U.N. and others to impose sanc- tions and abuses throughout
high commissioner for hu- tions on local and Chinese the P.R.C. … is deeply con-
man rights since 2005, and central government officials. cerning, particularly as she
rights groups warn it threat- Amnesty International said is and should be the lead-
ens to whitewash abuses by Bachelet must “address ing U.N. voice on human
the ruling Communist Party crimes against humanity and rights,” Price said, using the
in Xinjiang. gross human rights viola- acronym for the People’s Re-
China locked up an estimat- tions” during her trip. public of China.
ed million or more members spokesperson Wang Wenbin as Ilham Tohti, an economist “Michelle Bachelet’s long- He said the U.S. is “deeply
of Uyghur, Kazakh and other confirmed Bachelet’s arrival and winner of the Sakharov delayed visit to Xinjiang is concerned” about Bachelet’s
Prize.
Muslim minorities in what and said she would have “ex- a critical opportunity to ad- visit and has “no expectation
critics describe as a campaign tensive exchanges with all China has also been accused dress human rights violations that the P.R.C. will grant the
to obliterate their distinct sectors.” No journalists will of using forced labor, coercive in the region, but it will also necessary access required to
cultural identities. China says travel with her in China, but birth control and separating be a running battle against conduct a complete, unma-
it has nothing to hide and Bachelet will “brief the media children from their incarcer- Chinese government efforts nipulated assessment of the
welcomes all those without on her visit in due course,” ated parents. The monitoring to cover up the truth,” Am- human rights environment
political bias to visit Xinjiang Wang said at a daily briefing group The Dui Hua Founda- nesty International Secretary in Xinjiang.”
and view what it describes as on Monday. tion says fasting for Ramadan General Agnes Callamard The U.S. government has
or selling Islamic books has
a successful campaign to re- “I hope that this visit will fur- said in a statement. declared that Beijing’s poli-
store order and ethnic cohe- ther promote exchanges and also been targeted. “The U.N. must take steps to cies against the Uyghurs
sion. cooperation between the two It’s not clear whether Bach- mitigate against this and resist amount to genocide and
Bachelet began her six-day sides and play an active role elet will be able to meet with being used to support blatant crimes against humanity.
officials who led the crack-
visit in the southern city of in advancing the interna- propaganda,” Callamard said. Legislatures in Britain, Bel-
Guangzhou and will travel to tional human rights cause,” down in Xinjiang, including Bachelet’s trip comes ahead gium, the Netherlands and
former regional party secre-
the Xinjiang cities of Kash- he said. of the long-awaited release of Canada have done the same.
gar, once a stop on the Silk A key question is whether tary Chen Quanguo, now an a report on the human rights China denies the allegations
Road, and Urumqi, the re- Bachelet will be allowed to official in Beijing. situation in Xinjiang. Almost and maintains its policies are
gion’s capital. Details have visit the former internment Bachelet, a former president 200 rights groups have urged meant to deradicalize those
of Chile, plans to speak with
been tightly held and China’s camps that China called vo- Bachelet to release her re- influenced by jihadi propa-
Communist Party-controlled cational training and educa- high-level national and local port, which diplomats have ganda following years of vio-
media have not reported on tion centers and meet with officials, civil society organi- said has been ready — or very lent outbursts against Chi-
her visit. people imprisoned over calls zations, business representa- close to it — for months.U.S. nese rule in the region.q
Chinese Foreign Ministry for greater religious, political tives and academics, and de- State Department spokes-
and cultural freedoms, such liver a lecture to students at