Spain seeks Beijing's support

2008-08-06 21:36

Madrid - Spain appealed to China on Wednesday to support Madrid's bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, during a meeting of the countries' foreign ministers in Beijing, the Spanish government said.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos praised China's organisation of the 2008 Games when he met with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Moratinos "appealed for the support of the Chinese authorities for Madrid's candidature for the 2016 Olympic Games," it said.

Madrid is among four cities on the International Olympic Committee's shortlist for the right to host the 2016 Summer Games. The other three are Chicago, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

The two ministers also agreed to create a Spanish-Chinese working group that would boost relations between the EU and Beijing when Spain takes over the rotating presidency of the bloc in January 2010, the statement said.

"Spain is the best ally of China in the EU," said Yang.

The statement did not mention if the two discussed the decision by Spain's top criminal court on Tuesday to hear a lawsuit from Tibetan rights groups that accuses Chinese leaders of human rights violations in connection with the unrest that erupted in the region in March.

- SAPA