EU urges China to show restraint in Tibet

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the EU needed to make sure of the facts before taking a position.

"We say there is a need for clarity about developments on the ground. We know there have been peaceful demonstrations," he told a news conference.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband added: "There are probably two important messages to go out -- one is the need for restraint on all sides and secondly that substantive dialogue is the only way forward."

Kouchner said China should think about the Olympics when considering how to handle Tibet.

"France is not supportive of a boycott but France could draw attention to the concomitance between the Olympic Games and the Tibetan hopes that China must take into account," he said.

The EU presidency issues dozens of statements every week on issues ranging from the future of East Timor to the conduct of elections in Armenia or tension between Colombia and Venezuela.