Germany freezes contracts with China over human rights record

Germany froze a series of official contacts with China in a row over Peking's human rights record in Tibet, but said it wanted to cool a heated diplomatic row before it boiled over. Construction Minister Klaus Topfer and Environment Minister Angela Merkel cancelled planned visits to China and a meeting of senior military officers set for Peking later this year is now off.

The moves came just a day after Peking, angered by a German parliamentary resolution last week condemning China's rights record in Tibet, said it was withdrawing an invitation for the Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, to visit next month. Reuter - Bonn