Athens justifies vetoing EU statement on China at UN

Diplomatic sources sought Monday to justify Greece’s veto on Sunday of a statement by the European Union condemning China’s human rights record at the United Nations.

The EU statement sought to criticize a crackdown on activists and dissidents under Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Diplomatic sources in Athens said they consider the strategy the EU has chosen to deal with human rights violations as counter -productive because it singles out specific countries. “This doesn’t help the promotion of human rights in these countries nor their relations with the EU,” sources said.

The Greek decision was blasted by rights groups and others.