9. Reiterates its call for the abolition of the death penalty and an immediate moratorium on capital punishment in China; 10. Urges the Government of the PRC to respond to international calls for improvements in the human rights situation in China and to guarantee freedom of religion, freedom of expression and political freedom, and, especially, to release all prisoners sentenced as a result of their religious activities; 11. Calls once more on the Government of the PRC to improve the conditions of imprisonment in its jails, to cease and abolish torture of detainees, to stop the continued violation of the human rights of the Tibetan people and other minorities and ensure that it respects international human-rights standards and principles of humanitarian law; 12. Calls on the Council and the Member States to maintain the EU embargo on trade in arms with the PRC and not to weaken the existing restrictions on such arms sales; 13. Calls on the Government of the PRC to continue the dialogue with the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; 14. Urges the Conference of Presidents to invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama to address the European Parliament during 2006; Hong Kong 15. Recalls that the Hong Kong Basic Law provides for Hong Kong's Chief Executive ultimately to be elected by universal suffrage; 16. Calls on the authorities of Hong Kong to: 17. - set a timetable for universal suffrage acceptable to all democratic parties and the public, - abolish the appointment system in the District Council, - replace corporate voting by individual voting for functional constituencies of the Legislative Council, - broaden the electorate of the Election Committee; Looks forward to seeing the Chief Executive and all members of the Legislative Council elected by means of an electoral system based on the principles of multi-party democracy, accountability of the government to the legislature and genuinely effective governance, which will confer a clear benefit on all the people of Hong Kong; o o 18. o Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary General, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the National