Such cynical manoeuvring makes no impact on the grim fate of those suffering from and dying under torture

Human Rights in China

On Thursday, Mrs Robinson warned China not to use the US-led campaign against terrorism as a pretext to suppress ethnic minority groups.

She said she was worried about the Uighur population in the Western province of Xinjiang, and also expressed concern about the situation in Tibet.

Beijing has called for international support for its campaign against ethnic-Uighur Muslim separatists in Xinjiang. It has also accused supporters of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, of terrorist activities.

'Widespread' torture

Mrs Robinson was meeting President Jiang on Friday to urge him to let a UN investigator look into what she said was the "widespread" use of torture to extract confessions from prisoners.

China has agreed in principle to an inspection, but the two sides have not yet agreed conditions for the visit.

On Friday the New York-based human rights group, Human Rights in China, said Beijing was blocking the promised visit and only "going through the motions" of working with the UN.

"Such cynical manoeuvring makes no impact on the grim fate of those suffering from and dying under torture," said the group.

Almost three years of negotiations with China had yet to produce an inspection, the group said, quoting UN special rapporteur on torture Nigel Rodley.

Mr Rodley was given permission by China to do an inspection in 1999. But the trip was cancelled when Beijing refused to let him visit prisons and police stations unannounced or to talk in private to prisoners.

Mr Rodley is stepping down from the UN post this month after eight years.