- Statements from world leaders and others Intellectual.

 

Wed Apr 16, 3:02 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Wednesday called her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi to discuss the situation in Tibet and Iran’s nuclear program, US officials said.

Photo: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies before the house on Capitol Hill April 15, 2008 in Washington, DC. Rice Wednesday called her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi to discuss the situation in Tibet and Iran’s nuclear program, US officials said. (AFP/GETTY IMAGES/File/Alex Wong)

“They spoke about Iran, the efforts of the P-5-plus-1 to work on the two pathways, the incentives and disincentives package,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

Representatives for the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, China and the European Union failed to agree in talks in Shanghai Wednesday on proposals to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table.

Rice and Yang also “talked about the issue of Tibet. They talked about Taiwan,” McCormack said.

“But from our side, the secretary reiterated what you have heard us say in public, and that is encouraging the Chinese government to engage in a dialogue with the Dalai Lama and his people.”

Earlier McCormack said the talks in China on Iran’s nuclear program were focusing on possible “incentives” rather than purely punitive measures against Tehran for continuing its suspect nuclear program.

Tehran insists its program is entirely peaceful and aimed at generating energy. But its official IRNA news agency said last week it was now operating 492 new centrifuges at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, in defiance of UN calls to freeze the process.

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Sunday 06th of April 2008
The people of Tibet wish to be heard. They have long sought autonomy, and chosen negotiation and mediation as their means of attaining it. They now turn to protest. The Chinese government should hear their voices, understand their grievances and find a non-violent solution.

That solution is offered by our friend and brother His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has never sought separatism, and has always chosen a peaceful path. We strongly urge the Chinese government to seize the opportunity he provides for a meaningful dialogue. Once formed, this channel should remain open, active and productive. It should address issues that are at the heart of the tension, respecting the dignity of the Tibetan people and the integrity of China.

Throughout, the international community will be reassured if the government allows members of the press and United Nations Human Rights investigators full access within Tibet. Without that access, progress is unlikely and an opportunity may be lost.

Notes to Editors

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are: Gra�a Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

In addition to working independently, The Elders will work to complement, not duplicate or compete with the efforts of other organizations. They will seek opportunities to partner with established groups in ways that help shine a light on work already underway or to assist in bringing the group’s efforts to another level.

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THE following is an English translation of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's speech delivered in Mandarin to Chinese students at Peking University.
A conversation with China’s youth on the future (by Kevin Rudd) 

9 April 2008

Peking University


I begin by congratulating Peking University which this year celebrates its 110th anniversary – making this university three years older than the Commonwealth of Australia.

Peking University is the most famous in China.

And it has played an important part in modern Chinese history.

In the early 20th century, when China was going through a period of rapid transformation, it was Peking University that led movements for a new era in Chinese educational, cultural and political life.

Peking University was at the centre of the May 4th Movement.

The May 4th era — for I realise that it was a transformative decade from 1917 to 1927 — was one of crucial and lasting importance in the emergence of a modern China.

Many famous figures in this period were active at your university.

One thinks, for example, of Cai Yuanpei, Chen Duxiu, Hu Shi, Li Dazhao and Lu Xun.

This year, 2008, is the 90th anniversary of some key events of the May Fourth era:

— through his essays for the major magazine New Youth the writer and educator Hu Shi successfully advocated the use of modern vernacular Chinese in education and the media.

This helped bring about a major change in the way that the young people of China expressed themselves to their compatriots.

Also the writer Lu Xun published the first, and justifiably famous, story in modern Chinese, Diary of a Madman.

I would also note that Lu Xun’s design for the school crest of Peking University is still in use.

Indeed, you, the students of Peking University today, are heirs to a great tradition of intellectual engagement with your country.

Studying China

This is not the first time I have visited Peking University.

But it is the first time I have given a speech here.

It is a great honour for me.

And it is a great honour for me to address the students of this university because you are an important part of China’s future.

I first started studying China and the Chinese language in 1976.

It was a different China back then.

Zhou Enlai had just died.

Mao Zedong was still alive.

And the Cultural Revolution had not concluded – indeed our Chinese language textbooks were still full of class struggle.

Some have asked me why I decided to study Chinese.

I had grown up on a farm in rural Queensland where China seemed very remote.

I remember as a teenager following closely the visit of Australia’s Prime Minister Gough Whitlam to China on television in 1973 after the Australia Labor Government recognised China in 1972.

I remember watching the footage of him meeting Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping escorting his party on a tour to the Great Wall.

That visit inspired my interest in this extraordinary country.

When I went to university I knew that I wanted to study China.

I went to the Australian National University in Canberra.

And for the next four years I studied Chinese language, Chinese history and Chinese literature together with Japanese and Korean history as well.

I even studied Chinese calligraphy, but my calligraphy was ugly then – and it is even uglier now.

Later I became a diplomat.

Because I was a graduate in Chinese, the then Australian Government decided to send me to Sweden – where in those days I could barely find a decent Chinese restaurant.

I eventually made it to China in 1984 when I started work at the Australian Embassy.

But I did not remain a diplomat.
I wanted to enter politics.

I was elected to Australia’s Parliament in 1998 and after serving in parliament for nine years in opposition, my party won the general election last year and I had the honour of becoming 26th Prime Minister of Australia.

Australia and China

Some people think that Australia and China are new friends.

But in fact our history is already long.

Chinese settlers came to Australia first in the nineteenth century.

When gold was discovered in Victoria and Queensland in the 1850s, the first major group of Chinese migrants came to our shores.

We now have over 600,000 people who claim Chinese ancestry.

After English, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) is the most widely spoken language in Australia.

The Chinese community has deep roots in Australia and is an important part of modern Australian society.

It includes people like Dr John Yu, one of Australia’s leading surgeons and Australian of the Year in 1996.

And the young mathematician, Terrence Tao, who I met recently.

The flow of people has not all been in one direction.

Some Australians – though a smaller number – have made China their home.

George Morrison is one such person.

Morrison first came to China in 1894.

He lived here for 20 years.

In Australia, he was known as “Chinese Morrison”.

And here in Beijing, during the Republic of China, Wangfujing, home to George Morrison, was known as “Morrison Street”.

It is easy to see why people become fascinated with China.

China has thousands of years of continuous recorded history, but it is a country of constant change.

When I look at the China of 2008, I see a very different country to the one I studied in the late 1970s and the one I lived in during the mid 1980s.

China and the World

The changes in China since the 1970s have been remarkable.

And the change in China has led to a profound evolution in the relationship between our two countries.

China’s policy change 30 years ago this year to “reform and open up” was the start of your country’s re-connection with the world.

China’s companies began trading with others.

China’s people began to travel.
China’s students began going overseas to study in greater numbers.

The world began to see China, and the people of China began to see the world, in new ways.

This institution, Peking University, through its teaching, research and search for knowledge has also had a profound influence on China’s changes.

Its graduates have made a big contribution to your country’s engagement with the world.

To many people in China, these changes bring a better and richer life.

People are able to make decisions about where they work, how they live and set their own goals.

They can build their own businesses.

At the same time, there are still many problems in China – problems of poverty, problems of uneven development, problems of pollution, problems of broader human rights.

It is also important to recognise that China’s change is having a great impact not just on China, but also on the world.

The scale and pace of China’s economic development and social transformation is unprecedented in human history.

Never before have so many people been brought into the global economy in such a short period of time.
Just look at some of the figures.

China is now the world’s third-largest trading nation.

Its exports are growing at over 30 per cent per year.

GDP per capita has nearly doubled in the past five years.

People in Australia and around the world recognise that China’s economic development is having a profound global impact.

They understand that China’s demand for resources is driving global growth.

But China’s growth can also cause anxiety.

Some people are concerned about their jobs moving to China.

When people overseas are faced with big changes and uncertainties like these they get nervous.

We all need to appreciate these anxieties and their origins.

Today I would like to make a suggestion.

I think that you – the young people of China, the generation that will see China’s full integration into global society, the global economy and the overall global order – have an important role to play in the life of the world.

The global community looks forward to China fully participating in all the institutions of the global rules-based order, including in security, in the economy, in human rights, in the environment.

And we look forward to China making active contributions to the enhancement of that order in the future.

It is a necessary task of responsible global citizenship.

It is a big responsibility you have.

You are the product of China today.

And you are the representatives of China’s tomorrow.

You will be the ones who define how the world sees China.

“Harmony” was the dream and hope of that great Chinese thinker and activist Kang Youwei.

The Hundred Days reform movement, like Peking University, also marks its 110th anniversary this year.

Kang proposed a utopian world free of political boundaries.

China has variously articulated its approach to development as one of “peaceful rise”, “peaceful development” or more recently that of a “harmonious world”.

In 2005 the then US Deputy Secretary of State Bob Zoellick spoke for his part of his concept that China would and could become a responsible global stakeholder.

As I said last week in a speech to the Brookings Institution in Washington, it is worthwhile thinking about how to encourage a synthesis of these concepts of a “harmonious world” and the “responsible stakeholder”.

The idea of a “harmonious world” depends on China being a participant in the world order and, along with others, acting in accordance with the rules of that order.

Failing this, “harmony” is impossible to achieve.

“Responsible stakeholder” contains the same idea at its core – China working to maintain and develop the global and regional rules-based order.

This year, as China hosts the Olympics, the eyes of the world will be on you and the city of Beijing.

It will be a chance for China to engage directly with the world, both on the sports field and on the streets of Beijing.

Some have called for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics because of recent problems in Tibet.

As I said in London on Sunday, I do not agree.

I believe the Olympics are important for China’s continuing engagement with the world.

Australia like most other countries recognises China’s sovereignty over Tibet.

But we also believe it is necessary to recognise there are significant human rights problem in Tibet.

The current situation in Tibet is of concern to Australians.

We recognise the need for all parties to avoid violence and find a solution through dialogue.

As a long-standing friend of China I intend to have a straightforward discussion with China’s leaders on this.

We wish to see the year 2008 as one of harmony, and celebration – not one of conflict and contention.

Harmony in the Natural Environment
Our shared future is not only one about harmony between nations and peoples.

It is also about harmony with nature — the “Unity of Man and Nature” — a concept with ancient roots in Chinese thought.

We all share responsibility for the future.

One of the big future challenges for Australia and China is climate change.

Australia is committed to strong action domestically and internationally on climate change.

Because we know that climate change is the great moral, economic and environmental challenge of our time – one that all nations have to work together to overcome.

That’s why climate change will be an important part of my discussions with the Chinese leadership this week.

It is important that China play an increasingly prominent role on climate change.

An effective global response to climate change will require the active participation of all major emitters.

I also believe it is important for China’s own future.

Unless we are successful, China will face increasing pressure on its water supplies, changing rainfall patterns and rising sea levels.

A strong relationship, and a true friendship, are built on the ability to engage in direct, frank and ongoing dialogue about our fundamental interests and future vision.


In the modern, globalised world, we are all connected; connected not only by politics and economics, but also in the air we breathe.

A true friend is one who can be a “zhengyou” , that is a partner who sees beyond immediate benefit to the broader and firm basis for continuing, profound and sincere friendship.

In other words, a true friendship which “offers unflinching advice and counsels restraint” to engage in principled dialogue about matters of contention.

It is the kind of friendship that I know is treasured in China’s political tradition.

It is the kind of friendship that I also offer China today.

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Rice urges China to grant media, diplomatic access to Tibet : (April 11, 2008 )

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2008 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged China on Friday to open its troubled region of Tibet up to journalists and diplomats.

"We have been very concerned about the closed nature of all of this, the lack of transparency," Rice told reporters during a press conference in Washington with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"It's important that journalists be able to get in, it's important that diplomatic personnel be able to get into Tibet so that there can be independent reporting about what's going on there," she said.

"But I believe that China would really do itself a great service and not to mention the people of Tibet, if it were willing to have a more open attitude toward responsible Tibetan cultural and religious authorities," she said.

Rice and other US officials have repeatedly urged China to act with restraint against protestors there and open a dialogue with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Rice said on Wednesday that the State Department would like to set up a consulate in Tibet after complaining that China has so far allowed only limited access to US diplomats since troubles began in March.

Rice told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the United States "has been very active in making the case to the Chinese that they are going to be better off to deal with moderate forces on Tibet like the Dalai Lama, that they should open a dialogue with him."

She added that the United States "pressed for consular access for diplomats into Tibet. We got some limited access, but frankly it wasn't good enough."

Violence erupted in Tibet on March 14 after days of peaceful protests in Lhasa against 57 years of Chinese rule and quickly spilled over into other parts of China inhabited by Tibetans.

Exiled Tibetan leaders say 150 people have died in the Chinese crackdown on the demonstrations. China insists it has acted with restraint and killed no one, while blaming Tibetan "rioters" for the deaths of 20 people.

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P6_TA-PROV(2008)0119

European Parliament resolution of 10 April 2008 on Tibet
The European Parliament,

– having regard to its earlier resolutions on China and on Tibet, in particular on:

(a) the dialogue between the Chinese Government and Envoys of the Dalai Lama (15 Feb 2007)1,

(b) the EU-China Summit and the EU/China human rights dialogue (13 December 2007)2,

(c) EU-China relations (7 September 2006)3,

(d) the functioning of the human rights dialogues and consultations on human rights with
third countries (6 September 2007)4,

– having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising against the Chinese
administration led to major demonstrations by Tibetan monks and nuns and ordinary
Tibetan citizens protesting against Chinese repression,

B. whereas, according to the Chinese authorities, 20 people died in the protests; whereas,
according to other sources, more than 140 Tibetans died in those clashes, and dozens of
others have been arrested,

C. whereas a state of emergency has been declared by the Chinese Government, and shops
and temples have been closed in Lhasa, as well as in other cities, with hundreds of armed
police officers and army troops moved to Tibet from the rest of China,

D. whereas His Holiness the Dalai Lama has called this Chinese over-reaction 'cultural
genocide', and has at the same time urged Tibetans 'to practise non-violence and not
waver from this path, however serious the situation might be' 5 whereas His Holiness the
Dalai Lama has not demanded Tibetan independence but has instead proposed a middle
way of genuine cultural and political autonomy and religious freedom, thereby expressing
a view that is supported by the European Parliament,

E. whereas only peaceful means and sincere dialogue can lead to a lasting settlement,
1 OJ C 287 E, 29.11.2007, p. 554
2 Texts adopted, P6_TA(2007)0622.
3 JO C 305 E, 14.12.2006, p. 219.
4 Texts adopted, P6_TA(2007)0381.
5 Statement issued on 6 April 2008.
2

F. whereas, save for an official international press trip organised by the Chinese
Government, the international press has been denied access to the region of Tibet to
report on the events, and all journalists have been expelled; whereas the aforementioned
international press trip was heavily controlled and the participating journalists were
denied unrestricted access to the Tibetan people,

G. whereas the Chinese Government appears to be blocking foreign websites inside China
and censoring foreign television broadcasts about the situation in Tibet,

H. convinced that the Beijing Olympic Games represent an extraordinary opportunity for
China to open itself up to the world and vice versa, and to demonstrate that it can honour
its undertakings as regards the promotion of fundamental rights for all Chinese people,
without distinction,

I. whereas the EU-China human rights dialogue established in 2000 has failed to achieve
the expected results,

1. Firmly condemns the brutal repression visited by the Chinese security forces on Tibetan
demonstrators and all acts of violence from whichever source that have taken place in the
streets of Lhasa and elsewhere in Tibet, and expresses its sincere condolences to the
families of the victims;

2. Calls on the Chinese Government to guarantee adequate medical care for injured Tibetans
and legal assistance for arrested Tibetans; appeals to the authorities to present an account
of their detainees, to treat them in accordance with international human rights law and,
under all circumstances, to refrain from torture; calls for the immediate release of all
those who protested peacefully exercising their legitimate right to freedom of expression;

3. Criticises the often discriminatory treatment of non-Han Chinese ethnic minorities; calls
on China to honour its commitments to human and minority rights and the rule of law;
urges China not to misuse the 2008 Olympic Games by arresting dissidents, journalists
and human rights activists in order to prevent demonstrations and reports which the
authorities view as embarrassing to them; calls, in this regard, for the immediate release
of Hu Jia, a prominent human rights activist, sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison
on subversion charges;

4. Calls for an open and independent inquiry, under the auspices of the United Nations, into
the recent riots and repression in Tibet; urges the Chinese authorities to issue a standing
invitation to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN bodies to visit
Tibet;

5. Welcomes the fact that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has called on the Tibetan people to
protest non-violently and has rejected calls for Tibetan independence and instead
proposed the middle way of genuine cultural and political autonomy and religious
freedom; reaffirms its attachment to China's territorial integrity;

6. Calls on the Chinese authorities to open up Tibet to the media and diplomats, in particular
EU representatives; urges the Chinese authorities to immediately stop censoring and
blocking news and information websites based abroad; calls for the release of all 3
journalists, internet users and cyber-dissidents detained in China for exercising their right
to information;

7. Is concerned about the increasing economic marginalisation of the Tibetan people in
Tibet, who are faced with a rising number of Chinese migrant workers coming into Tibet
and taking Tibetan jobs and Tibetan land; points to the gross discrimination in the
education system, in which Tibetan children learn their native language as a second
language;

8. Calls on China to respect its own public commitments to human rights and minority
rights, democracy and the rule of law announced during the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) decision to allow China to organise the Games;

9. Urges China to ratify without any further delay and in any case before the Olympic
Games the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (UN, 1966); calls on
Beijing to establish a moratorium on the death penalty, as called for by UN General
Assembly resolution 62/149 of 18 December 2007 on a moratorium on the use of the
death penalty;

10. Regrets that the six sessions of talks between the Chinese authorities and His Holiness the
Dalai Lama have failed to achieve results, and calls for a constructive dialogue to be
opened without preconditions, with a view to reaching a comprehensive political
agreement, including a sustainable solution with regard to the cultural and political
autonomy of Tibet and religious freedom and true minority rights for the Tibetan people
in other neighbouring Chinese provinces;

11. Calls on the Council, and in particular the Presidency, closely to monitor developments,
and to ensure that the EU adopts a consistent common position and that decisions taken
on the basis thereof are duly implemented, and considers that EU diplomatic
representatives in Beijing should take the initiative of visiting the region in order to report
back to the Council about the current situation;

12. Reiterates, in this regard, its call on the Council to appoint a special envoy for Tibetan
issues in order to facilitate the dialogue between the parties and closely follow the
negotiations once they are resumed;

13. Endorses the statement by His Holiness the Dalai Lama that the Olympic Games are a
great opportunity for freedom for all the Chinese people;

14. Calls on the EU Presidency-in-Office to strive to find a common EU position with regard
to the attendance of the Heads of Government and of State and the EU High
Representative at the Olympic Games opening ceremony, with the option of nonattendance
in the event that there is no resumption of dialogue between the Chinese
authorities and His Holiness the Dalai Lama;

15. Urges the People's Republic of China to stop scrutinising and judging Olympic athletes
on the basis of their political views and threatening to ban them from the Olympic Games
if they dissent from the Chinese Government's official position; 4

16. Looks forward to His Holiness the Dalai Lama 's visit to the European Parliament to
address the plenary session scheduled for late 2008, and calls on its Conference of
Presidents to explore the possibility of an earlier visit;

17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the
governments and parliaments of the Member States, the governments and parliaments of
the applicant countries, the President and Prime Minister of the People's Republic of
China, the President of the Chinese People's National Congress, the International
Olympic Committee and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

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Archbishop of Durban says China diverting focus on rights violation

Wednesday, 9 April 2008, 4:17 p.m.

Pretoria:Archbishop of Durban Wilfrid Cardinal Napier said Wednesday that Chinese authorities are trying to divert world attention from their violations of human rights perpetrated against the Tibetans by accusing His Holiness the Dalai Lama of being responsible for the action of the Tibetan people to throw off the shackles of oppression and abuse.

"It is a well-tested truism in any situation of war or conflict the first casualty is the truth," he said.

He said, it is clear that those responsible for the sad state of affairs have made false accusations against His Holiness the Dalai Lama when the peaceful protests spread across many parts of Tibet. His Holiness, by his personal life and charisma stands out as a beacon for hope for the repressed Tibetans, he added.

"We, who know and respect His Holiness the Dalai Lama know where the truth lies, and no amount of lying will change the truth that is a reflection of God's presence among his people, especially the poor and downtrodden," he said.

He offered his prayer for the protection of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all those who struggle for peace and harmony especially using peaceful and non-aggressive means.

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Press Releases

Contact:
Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami
202-226-7616
For Immediate Release
04/03/2008

 

Pelosi, Members of India Congressional Delegation Introduce Resolution in Support of Tibet

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after she and members of the bipartisan Congressional Delegation that met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in India introduced House Resolution 1077.  The Resolution, which calls on the Chinese government to end its crackdown in Tibet and to enter into a substantive dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will be on the House floor next week.

"Leaders around the world have called for the Chinese government to take steps to end its crackdown on peaceful Tibetans and enter into a dialogue with his Holiness the Dalai Lama, and now the House of Representative will have the opportunity to join the international chorus of calls for peace and freedom.

"The cause of Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world.  For far too long, the Tibetan people have suffered due to the repressive policies of the Chinese government as they have sought the basic human rights and dignity to which all people of the world are entitled.

"I look forward to the House making a powerful and unified statement in support of the fundamental freedom and dignity of the Tibetan people at this critical time."

# # #

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ms. PELOSI (for herself, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. GEORGE MILLER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. INSLEE, Ms. SOLIS, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. HOLT) submitted the following resolution;

RESOLUTION

Calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its crackdown in Tibet and enter into a substantive dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to find a negotiated solution that respects the distinctive language, culture, religious identity, and fundamental freedoms of all Tibetans, and for other purposes. Whereas March 10, 2008, marked the 49th anniversary of a historic uprising against Chinese rule over the Tibetan people, which forced His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, to escape into exile in India;

Whereas Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns in and around Lhasa were blocked by Chinese authorities from staging peaceful demonstrations on this anniversary date and were met with excessive force by the Chinese authorities;

Whereas protests by Tibetans spread inside the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas of China;

Whereas the accumulated grievances of almost six decades of cultural, religious, economic, and linguistic repression of the Tibetan people by the Government of the People's Republic of China has resulted in resentments which are at the root of the Tibetan protests;

Whereas resentment of the Chinese Government by the Tibetan people has increased sharply since 2005 as a result of Chinese policies, laws, and regulations that have reduced economic opportunity for Tibetans and severely eroded the ability of Tibetans to preserve their distinctive language, culture, and religious identity;

Whereas the response by the Chinese Government to the Tibetan protests was disproportionate and extreme, reportedly resulting in the deaths of hundreds and the detention of thousands of Tibetans;

Whereas there have been reports that some Tibetans engaged in rioting that may have resulted in the destruction of government and private property, as well as the deaths of civilians;

Whereas His Holiness the Dalai Lama has used his leadership to promote democracy, freedom, and peace for the Tibetan people through a negotiated settlement of the Tibet issue, based on autonomy within the context of China;

Whereas six rounds of dialogue between representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials have not resulted in meaningful progress;

Whereas the Chinese Government has rebuffed calls by the President of the United States, the United States Congress, and world leaders to respond positively to the Dalai Lama's willingness to be personally involved in discussions with Chinese leaders on the future of Tibet;

Whereas the Chinese Government has denigrated the Dalai Lama, labeling him as ''a splittist'' and ''a wolf in monk's robes'', thereby further alienating Tibetans who consider the Dalai Lama their spiritual leader;

Whereas the Dalai Lama was recognized for his contribution to world peace when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989;

Whereas the United States Congress, in recognition of the Dalai Lama's outstanding moral and religious leadership and his advocacy of nonviolence, awarded him with the Congressional Gold Medal on October 17, 2007;

Whereas the Chinese Government has failed to honor its commitment to improve the human rights situation in China as a condition for Beijing being selected as the site for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games;

Whereas the Chinese Government has impeded the access of international journalists to Tibetan areas of China and distorted reports of events surrounding the Tibetan protests, thereby violating the commitment it made that ''there will be no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including the Olympic Games'';

Whereas for many years, the Chinese Government has restricted the ability of foreign journalists and foreign government officials, including United States Government officials, to freely travel in Tibetan areas of China, thereby curtailing access to information on the situation in Tibetan areas;

Whereas the Chinese Government's use of propaganda during the protests to demonize Tibetans and incite ethnic nationalism is exacerbating ethnic tensions and is counterproductive to resolving the situation;

Whereas the United States Department of State included the People's Republic of China among the group of countries described as ''the most systematic violators of human rights'' in the introduction of the 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and in previous Human Rights Reports, but did not do so in the 2007 Human Rights Report, despite no evidence of significant improvements in the human rights situation in China in the past year; and

Whereas it is the policy of the United States ''to support the aspirations of the Tibetan people to safeguard their distinct identity'' and ''to support economic development, cultural preservation, health care, and education and environmental sustainability for Tibetans inside Tibet'', in accordance with the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note): Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives—

    (1) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its crackdown on nonviolent Tibetan protestors and its continuing cultural, religious, economic, and linguistic repression inside Tibet;

    (2) calls on the Chinese Government to begin a results-based dialogue, without preconditions, directly with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to address the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan people and provide for a long-term solution that respects the human rights and dignity of every Tibetan;

    (3) calls on the Chinese Government to allow independent international monitors and journalists, free and unfettered access to the Tibet Autonomous Region and all other Tibetan areas of China for the purpose of monitoring and documenting events surrounding the Tibetan protests and to verify that individuals injured receive adequate medical care;

    (4) calls on the Chinese Government to immediately release all Tibetans who are imprisoned for nonviolently expressing opposition to Chinese Government policies in Tibet;

    (5) calls on the United States Department of State to publicly issue a statement reconsidering its decision not to include the People's Republic of China among the group of countries described as ''the world's most systematic human rights violators'' in the introduction of the 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices; and

    (6) calls on the United States Department of State to fully implement the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note), including the stipulation that the Secretary of State ''seek to establish an office in Lhasa, Tibet to monitor political, economic and cultural developments in Tibet'', and also to provide consular protection and citizen services in emergencies, and further urges that the agreement to permit China to open further diplomatic missions in the United States should be contingent upon the establishment of a United States Government office in Lhasa.

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Contact: Natalie Ravitz (Boxer) 202 224-8120
              Bethany Lesser (Brown) 202 224-3978
              Kurt Bardella (Snowe) 202 224-8667

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2, 2008 

 SENATORS BOXER, BROWN AND SNOWE LEAD BIPARTISAN GROUP OF 27 SENATORS IN CALLING ON CHINA TO RESOLVE CRISIS IN TIBET, MEET DIRECTLY WITH THE DALAI LAMA

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, together with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), today led a bipartisan group of 27 Senators in sending a letter calling on Chinese President Hu Jintao to bring about a timely, peaceful resolution to the current crisis in Tibet and to respect the human rights of the Tibetan people.

In the letter, the Senators encourage the Chinese government to increase transparency by removing current restrictions on the press and to disclose accurate information about Tibetan individuals who have been detained, injured, and killed since the crisis began.   

Media reports quote the Tibetan government in exile as putting the death toll from the demonstrations at about 140, while China has put the death toll at 22.

The Senators also ask that the government release peaceful protestors who have been detained and meet directly with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whose "deep bond with the Tibetan people make[s] him key to achieving a negotiated solution to the Tibet issue." 

Boxer said, “I am deeply concerned about the crisis and violence in Tibet – it is in the interest of all involved that we move quickly to restore peace in the region.  But

it is also my sincere hope that China will take this opportunity to listen to the valid, long-standing concerns of the Tibetan people and extend an open hand to the Dalai Lama, whose wisdom and leadership is deeply respected by the Tibetan people and the international community."

Brown said, “China’s crackdown on the people of Tibet is inexcusable.  Beijing has long sought a place at the table of global leaders. But systematic and violent repression of free speech, political protest and the eradication of ethnic culture, religion, and language are not the acts of a world leader, nor a country we should be striving to open to free trade. President Hu Jintao must take immediate steps to end the violent repression, open up to western media and release all political prisoners.”

Snowe said, “The violent crackdown perpetrated against the Tibetan people last month has already shattered the illusion that China's economic development, without political liberalization, is synonymous with modernization.  It is in all of humanity's interest to now ensure that, when the world turns its gaze to this summer's games in Beijing, the Olympic flame is not obscured by a curtain of smoke rising from Tibet.”

In addition to Boxer, Brown and Snowe, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Joseph R. Biden, Jr.(D-DE), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Max Baucus (D-MT), Russell D. Feingold (D-WI), James M. Inhofe (R-OK), Larry E. Craig (R-ID), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), John E. Sununu (R-NH), Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Mark Pryor (D-AR).

(Full text of the letter follows)

The Honorable Hu Jintao

President

People’s Republic of China

Dear President Hu:

We write today to respectfully urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to take all necessary steps to bring about a peaceful resolution to the current crisis in Tibet and to respect the human rights of the Tibetan people.

First and foremost, we ask that the Chinese government remove its restrictions on the media and communications, and allow independent monitors and the foreign press unfettered access to the region. We believe that lack of reliable information is only fueling uncertainty, causing resentment and discord on both sides of the issue. Increased transparency will be an important factor in resolving the conflict and is the best assurance against further escalation of the violence. Such transparency should include disclosing the names and whereabouts of any Tibetans, including Tibetan monks, who were detained in the wake of recent events. It is particularly critical that the world be given an accurate picture of the number of individuals detained, injured, and killed since the crisis began.
           

We also ask that the government release those detained for peaceful protest and demonstrate respect for the internationally-recognized right to peaceful assembly and expression of political opinion.   

Finally, we ask that the government move quickly, and at the highest level, to meet directly with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and engage in substantive dialogue to restore stability and bring genuine autonomy to the region. The Dalai Lama’s respected stature in the international community and deep bond with the Tibetan people make him key to achieving a negotiated solution to the Tibet issue and to peacefully implementing any agreement that is reached.

The protests seem to reflect long-simmering Tibetan resentment toward Chinese policies and laws that have failed to respect the basic rights of the people of Tibet. They also appear to reflect Tibetans’ belief that the six years of dialogue conducted to date—without the direct participation of the Dalai Lama—has been too slow and unyielding of results. For stability to last, the underlying causes of the public protests must be addressed, and policies that address the interest of both the Tibetan people and the Chinese government must be considered.  
 

In any such dialogue, it is vitally important that the Chinese set forth a timeline and framework for evaluation of substantive progress. An expedient resolution of the Tibet question through official negotiations that include measurable results favors both the Tibetan people and the Chinese government. 

Again, we urge you to do everything possible to bring about a peaceful resolution to this crisis. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China would be best served by expeditiously resolving this issue in a manner that reflects international norms and respect for human rights.
              

We look forward to continued dialogue on this matter and others that are important to the US-China bilateral relationship.
 

Thank you for your consideration of this most important request.

Sincerely,

- Barbara Boxer                            
- Sherrod Brown                 
- Olympia J. Snowe                               
- Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
- Bernard Sanders                          
- Charles E. Schumer                
- Barbara A. Mikulski                   
- Tom Harkin                               
- Robert Menendez                           
- Christopher J. Dodd    
- Jon Kyl                                        
- Tom Coburn                     
- Max Baucus
- Russell D. Feingold           
- James M. Inhofe                                  
- Larry E. Craig                            
- Ron Wyden                                  
- Sheldon Whitehouse                
- Robert C. Byrd                         
- John E. Sununu
- Gordon H. Smith
- Dick Durbin
- Sam Brownback
- Amy Klobuchar                                                           
- Jon Tester                                   
- Dianne Feinstein

- Mark Pryor

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President Bush called President Hu Jintao of China today. The President raised his concerns about the situation in Tibet and encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives and to allow access for journalists and diplomats.  On Taiwan, the President said that this weekend's election
provides a fresh opportunity for both sides to reach out and engage one another in peacefully resolving their differences.

The two Presidents also discussed North Korean denuclearization. President Bush expressed appreciation to President Hu for the important role China has played within the Six-Party framework.  The two presidents pledged to continue to work closely with the other Six-Party partners in urging North Korea to deliver a complete and correct
declaration of all its nuclear weapons programs, and nuclear mproliferation activities and to complete the agreed disablement.  On Burma, President Bush expressed his concern that the regime intends to hold a referendum that was drafted without input from democratic or ethnic minority groups.  He discussed with President Hu the need for the

Burmese leadership to make changes to the referendum process to make it free, fair, and credible to the Burmese people and the international community.

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US Senator Criticizes China For Blaming Dalai Lama On Tibet [Date: Monday, April 1, 2008 ]

WASHINGTON (AFP)--A U.S. senator influential on foreign policy said Monday he was disappointed with China for "unfairly" accusing Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of masterminding protests in the Himalayan territory. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., the ranking Republican in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also challenged China to allow journalists and diplomats full access to Tibet to determine whether Beijing allegedly overreacted to the protests.

"I am particularly disappointed that officials in Beijing have chosen to attack the Dalai Lama and unfairly blame him for the protests," Lugar said in a statement.

"I am aware of no credible evidence that he encouraged or instigated the protests, which occurred across a broad area of the Tibetan Autonomous Region and Tibetan areas of China," he said.

China has published an anonymous confession from a Tibetan protester as part of a dossier of "evidence" it said proved the Dalai Lama and his government-in- exile were behind the unrest against Beijing's rule of the Himalayan region.

Lugar noted that the Dalai Lama had deplored the violence and his call to cease violent activities, saying they appeared to have been heeded by most Tibetans in the autonomous region and elsewhere.

"I have met the Dalai Lama several times. I know him to be a man of peace. Contrary to repeated Chinese assertions, he has affirmed he does not favor an independent Tibet, but rather a Tibet with genuine autonomy as part of China," the senator said.

He urged the Chinese leadership to work with the Dalai Lama to seek a " mutually agreeable and peaceful solution" to the Tibet issue.

Beijing says rioters had killed 18 civilians and two police officers in the protests. Exiled Tibetan leaders have put the death toll from the Chinese crackdown at 135-140 Tibetans, with another 1,000 injured and many detained.

Lugar also asked Beijing "to open up more fully" to allow journalists, diplomats and other independent observers into Tibet to determine the background to the protests.

It is "to judge" whether Chinese authorities allegedly overreacted to incidents of looting, burning and attacks on individuals and whether they were detaining and lodging charges of violence against monks and others who had expressed their views peacefully, he said.

"Greater access would also be consistent with China's promise to give wider freedoms to foreign journalists in the period before the 2008 Olympics," Lugar said.

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The influx of Chinese immigrants in Tibet is a serious threat: British MP
OoT, London [Monday, March 10, 2008 12:18]

London, March 9: The 49th anniversary of the 10th March 1959 Tibetan national uprising day was marked here yesterday with a huge rally from the Chinese Embassy to the Office of the British Prime Minister and a remembrance Tibet day afternoon event, followed by an evening concert to honour the reunion of some former Drapchi prisoners of conscience, popularly know as the 'Singing nuns of Tibet' now living in freedom in exile.

Speaking on the occasion, the Guest Speaker, Mr. Fabian Hamilton, MP and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told the afternoon gathering at the Westminster Cathedral Hall that the issue of Tibet is serious and worthy of every support.

“The influx of Chinese settlers in Tibet is a serious threat and is making the Tibetans a minority in their own land. When we were in Lhasa (capital of Tibet) we saw Chinese everywhere and more were due to arrive and many will have come now because of the introduction of the railway line from China to Tibet,” said Mr. Hamilton, who was one of the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons that visited Tibet in 2006 and reported their findings in a report.

He informed the audience how during their visit to Lhasa he and his colleagues and the interpreter from the British Embassy in Beijing had to dodge Chinese minders so that they could see the real situation of the Tibetan people. He also said that at one point on seeing the picture of the previous Panchen Lama in a temple, he asked the Chinese interpreter where was the picture of the Dalai Lama? He said the Chinese interpreter had no answer and was looking nervously at the Chinese official accompanying them.

“For some reason His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a man of great peace is considered a threat by the Chinese authorities,” said Mr. Hamilton, adding that for once he agreed with the current American President George W. Bush, who when presenting the US Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness said that China should not fear because the Dalai Lama is “a man of faith, sincerity and peace.”

The British parliamentarian also urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to meet with His Holiness during his visit to UK in May. “Our duty today is to see to it that peaceful and non-violence means adopted to resolve issues makes ‘headlines’”, said Mr. Hamilton, who accompanied by his family also visited Dharamsala last year with five other members of the parliament. Besides witnessing the various aspects of the democratic set up of the Tibetans in Diaspora, they also had an audience with His Holiness.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is visiting UK in May this year primarily at the invitations received from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, Tibet Society, Dharma Network (formed of various Buddhist organisations in UK), Blackfriars Hall of Oxford University and the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, to give a series of public talks and teachings in London, Oxford and Nottingham. This visit, as other visits of His Holiness to Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries, is being coordinated by the Office of Tibet, London. An Early Day Motion (EDM) 984 sponsored in the House of Commons by Mr. Norman Baker, MP, , while welcoming the forthcoming visit of His Holiness to the UK calls upon the British Prime Minister to recognise “the strong historical connections between this country and Tibet” and “take the opportunity to met the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his visit” in line with how the Tibetan Nobel Peace Laureate has recently been met by “President George Bush, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of Australia, Canada and Austria”.

In his address, Mr. Tsering Tashi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries, said Mr. Hamilton’s acceptance of the invitation to the Tibetan event despite his busy schedule demonstrates the British public’s sympathy and support for the just cause of Tibet. He also thanked everyone, including some Tibetans and supporters who had come from different parts of the UK and Europe, for coming to the event to mark the Tibet Day. He said the presence, especially of the four former Drapchi prisoners of conscience clearly proves that the global and Tibetan efforts in exile is not in vain.

“The story of their road to freedom in exile after suffering many years of hardship and even torture at the hands of the Chinese authorities in occupied Tibet is a reminder to all of us that the human sprit cannot be vanquished by force,” said Mr. Tashi, who is based at the Office of Tibet in London.

Mr. Tashi spoke about the contrasting situation of the globally acknowledged success story of the Tibetan refugee community in exile and the ongoing plight of the Tibetans back home in Tibet under the Chinese rule.

He expressed concern at the increasing Chinese population in Tibet, which is transforming the Tibetans not only into a powerless and an insignificant minority in their own land but also posing a serious threat to the very survival of the Tibetan culture and identity. He said although the work that some NGOs and Western governments are doing in Tibet aimed to help the Tibetans is much appreciated, the outcome would be diluted when faced with the reality of the overwhelming immigrant Chinese population force.

“The important work that now remains to be done is how to reverse this dangerous demographic aggression of Tibet and persuade China to discourage the settling of Chinese in Tibet,” Mr. Tashi said, while acknowledging the fact that with better awareness and information more and more Chinese were showing respect for Tibetan Buddhist culture and supporting His Holiness the Dalai Lama‘s non-violent Middle-Way Approach to resolve the Tibet issue that takes into consideration the long term interest of both the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.

Mr. Tashi also referred to similar concerns raised by the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who in her autobiography says, “The Chinese claim to Tibet is dubious on historical grounds,” and that “The Chinese now appear to have resolved upon a programme of ’modernisation’ that involves shifting the ethnic balance in favour of Han Chinese and away from Tibetans, as a final solution to the continuing resistance. I hope that they do not succeed.”

As in the past, the afternoon Tibet Day event was jointly organised by the Tibetan Commemorative Committee consisting of the Office of Tibet, the Tibetan Community in Britain and the Tibet Society. A specially prepared drama-song presented by the Tibetan Community Dance Group showing how Tibetan prisoners are being harshly treated by the Chinese authorities in Tibet, generated gasps and total silence in the capacity-filled hall and moved many people to tears. The event began with prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and peace in world, and closed with the singing of the Tibetan national anthem.

The former Tibetan nun political prisoners Phuntsok Nyidron, Ngawang Sangdrol, Gyaltsen Drolkar and Namdrol Lhamo, who currently live in Switzerland, the United States and Belgium respectively, are in London at the invitation of the Tibetan Community in Britain as a part of its effort to raise more awareness about the Tibet issue. With help of Students for a Free Tibet and other supporters, they will be touring for about four weeks giving talks and participating in concerts at various educational and public venues in different parts of the UK.

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Obama on Tibet Protests

March 15th, 2008

Barack Obama is the first presidential candidate to put out a statement in response to the protests by Tibetans inside and outside of Tibet and China’s brutal crackdown in response.

I am deeply disturbed by reports of a crackdown and arrests ordered by Chinese authorities in the wake of peaceful protests by Tibetan Buddhist monks. I condemn the use of violence to put down peaceful protests, and call on the Chinese government to respect the basic human rights of the people of Tibet, and to account for the whereabouts of detained Buddhist monks.

These events come on the 49th anniversary of the exile of the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama. They demonstrate the continuing frustration of the Tibetan people at the way in which Beijing has ruled Tibet.

Tibet should enjoy genuine and meaningful autonomy. Now is the time to respect the human rights and religious freedom of the people of Tibet.

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March 19, 2008
We the members of the Himalaya Buddhist Cultural Association on behalf the people of Ladakhi from J&K, Lahaul, spiti of Himachal, Uttarkashi, Sikkim, Monpa of Arunachal Pradesh, etc humbly condemn the following on the issues of recent unfortunate incidents in Tibet. We appeal all the nations as follows.

1. We condemn the military action of Chinese government for crushing the peaceful protest by the Tibetan in Tibet on Friday 14th march 2008.

2. We urge and appeal to immediately stop the ongoing brutality act of suppression inside tibet; and also demanding to release all those Tibetan people who were imprisoned during the recent demonstrations.

3. We are also requesting to people from different parts of the world to be careful and don’t come under the false picture, which can mislead the people from other countries by broadcasting altered and fabricated news through their own set-up media, not allowing the international news channels to get hold of the ongoing real situation in Tibet.

4. Our govt. of India and international community to interfere in Tibet solutions.

5. A solution for the issue of Tibet is the interest of India and will solve the security issue of India. Violence is not a solution for the genuine peace; we condemned their brutal action against the Tibetan people.

6. Out govt. should allow the ongoing peace march to Tibet.

7. Our govt. should support Tibet’s rightful and nonviolent struggle to accomplish their goal to return to their own motherland.

8. We also request all the International community to give medical facility and aid to those who are fatally and seriously injured in the recent demonstrations in Tibet since all the hospitals are closed except the chinese army hospitals. Hense we request our Govt. of India to send medical aid to Tibet on the humanitarian ground.

Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association

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POSTED: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

FROM BLOG: Status of Chinese People - News, reports, opinions about China, Chinese people and their living condition

The following blog post is from an independent writer and is not connected with Reuters News. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by Reuters.com.

Reuters, via the Guardian, UK, Mar. 18, 2008-

BERLIN, March 18 (Reuters) - European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering urged politicians to consider boycotting the Beijing Olympic Games to protest against China’s crackdown on demonstrations in Tibet in which dozens may have died.

Politicians who had planned to attend the opening ceremony of the Games in August should reconsider, Poettering told German radio, adding he was not ruling out a wider boycott.

“It is too early to say how things will end up but one should keep all options open,” Poettering said in an interview on Deutschlandfunk radio on Tuesday.
Poettering, a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), attacked China’s response to the monk-led protests in Tibet.
“We cannot agree with what is happening in Tibet. The Chinese must realize that,” said Poettering, adding repression and curbs to freedom of expression must stop if the Olympic Games were to be a success.

“We must send a signal to Beijing,” he said.

Anti-China protests in Lhasa, the biggest in almost two decades, turned ugly on Friday and exiled representatives of Tibet in India have said as many as 80 people died.

China’s premier Wen Jiabao has accused Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, of orchestrating riots, a charge he denies.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959, wants autonomy for Tibet within China but not outright independence.

Merkel, along with other western leaders, has called on Beijing to exercise restraint but has refrained from calling for an outright boycott of the Olympic Games. (Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

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Italians Show Support for Tibet; Pope Appeals for Dialogue
By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
19-03-2008
Hundreds of people turned out in Rome Wednesday to demonstrate in support of the people of Tibet following last week's unrest and a crackdown by the Chinese authorities. Also Wednesday, Pope Benedict appealed reports for VOA from Rome.

A large banner on the stage in Rome's Campo de' Fiori Square read: "We are all Tibetans." Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday afternoon to show solidarity with the Tibetan people and voice their opposition to the brutal crackdown carried out by the Chinese authorities.

Many waved flags from the tiny Himalayan state. Italian politicians from across the political divide attended the demonstration and criticized what they called China's brutal repression just months ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Maurizio Gasparri of the right-wing National Alliance said China applies the death penalty, exploits workers, and massacres people in Tibet and yet we are still talking about holding the Olympic Games in Beijing.

He said China should not be part of the international community if it does not respect the rights of Tibetans.

Tukten Tenzin, president of the Tibetan community in Italy, also spoke at the gathering.
He said his people are calling for concrete political support from the West.

Pope Benedict also raised his voice Wednesday.

At the general audience, the pope said he is following events in Tibet with trepidation. He said his heart feels pain for the suffering of so many people. He said violence only aggravates problems.

The pope did not mention China specifically. Benedict has made improving relations with Beijing and the normalization of ties, severed in 1951, a major goal of his pontificate.

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US Urges China to Use Restraint in Tibet
By Meredith Buel
Washington
21-03-2008

The United States has called on China to use restraint against protesters in Tibet and to hold talks with the country's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel reports from Washington.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi Wednesday evening to discuss the crisis in Tibet.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says Rice used the 20-minute phone call to restate U.S. policy.

"She reiterated our call for restraint on the part of the Chinese government when they are dealing with protesters in these areas. Violence does not serve anybody's purposes," he said.

McCormack says Rice also urged her Chinese counterpart to hold talks with the Dalai Lama.

"The Chinese government should engage with the Dalai Lama in a dialogue," he said. "He is a man of peace. He is a man of reconciliation. We have been calling for this for sometime. Certainly, now would be as appropriate a time as ever for that dialog to take place."

China is accusing the Dalai Lama of orchestrating protests that erupted into riots last week in Tibet's capital, Lhasa, a charge he denies.

Tibet's government in exile says about 100 people died in the protests, although Beijing says rioters killed 13 civilians.

China is acknowledging that protests have spread from Tibet to neighboring Chinese provinces.

The Dalai Lama is offering to discuss the situation in Tibet with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
China says the spiritual leader must renounce violence and not support independence for Tibet.
The Dalai Lama has said repeatedly he only wants autonomy for Tibet under Chinese sovereignty.
Some international human rights groups and Tibetan activists are calling for officials and dignitaries to boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympics, to be held in Beijing next August.
President Bush is scheduled to attend the games and the White House says his plans have not changed.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the Olympics present an opportunity for China.
"We view this as a significant international sporting event," said McCormack. "We are going to treat it as such. We would also encourage China to make use of the fact that the world is watching the Olympics and this important international event to put its best face forward, not only during the Olympics, but in the run-up to as well as after the Olympics."
McCormack says the United States has requested access to Tibet to make an assessment of what is happening there.

McCormack says so far the Chinese government has not granted the request.

"The Chinese government should engage with the Dalai Lama in a dialogue," he said. "He is a man of peace. He is a man of reconciliation. We have been calling for this for sometime. Certainly, now would be as appropriate a time as ever for that dialog to take place."

China is accusing the Dalai Lama of orchestrating protests that erupted into riots last week in Tibet's capital, Lhasa, a charge he denies.

Tibet's government in exile says about 100 people died in the protests, although Beijing says rioters killed 13 civilians.

China is acknowledging that protests have spread from Tibet to neighboring Chinese provinces.
The Dalai Lama is offering to discuss the situation in Tibet with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

China says the spiritual leader must renounce violence and not support independence for Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has said repeatedly he only wants autonomy for Tibet under Chinese sovereignty.

Some international human rights groups and Tibetan activists are calling for officials and dignitaries to boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympics, to be held in Beijing next August.

President Bush is scheduled to attend the games and the White House says his plans have not changed.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the Olympics present an opportunity for China.

"We view this as a significant international sporting event," said McCormack. "We are going to treat it as such. We would also encourage China to make use of the fact that the world is watching the Olympics and this important international event to put its best face forward, not only during the Olympics, but in the run-up to as well as after the Olympics."

McCormack says the United States has requested access to Tibet to make an assessment of what is happening there.

McCormack says so far the Chinese government has not granted the request.

Secretary Rice Phones China's Foreign Minister Urging Dialogue with the Dalai Lama to Resolve Tibet Problem
March 20th, 2008

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has telephoned China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi late on March 19, 2008, repeating her pleas for restraint and calling for a dialogue with the Dalai Lama.

"She was able to reiterate very directly with the foreign minister our views urging Chinese restraint in dealing with protestors," Sean McCormack told reporters of the 20-minute call.

"Nobody wants to see violence ... So we have strongly urged Chinese restraint in these regards," McCormack said.

"She also urged the Chinese government to have a dialogue with the Dalai Lama as we have in the past," McCormack added.

"Implicit in what we're saying is that they should engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama and our view is that he is a man of peace and reconciliation," McCormack said when asked if China should drop preconditions.

"We don't really get into this issue of preconditions," the spokesman said.

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John McCain Says Tibet Issue to Receive Top Priority If he becomes President
March 21st, 2008

American presidential hopeful John McCain has said that the issue of Tibet would be one of the first things he would take up if he became the president. Addressing the media after a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on March 21, 2008, McCain is quoted by Reuters as saying, "It's not correct that the people there are being subjected to mistreatment. That is not acceptable conduct from a world power, which China is."

According to Reuters, "McCain said he did not discuss the Tibet issue in his meeting with Sarkozy but said China, which is preparing to host the Olympic Games, risked damaging its international image."

"There must be respect for human rights, whether it be in Tibet or whether it be anyplace else in the world," McCain is quoted in the report.

"I would hope that the Chinese would announce that they are actively seeking a peaceful resolution to this situation that exists which harms not only the human rights of people but also the image of China in the world," he said.

Earlier, after meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London on March 20, 2008, McCain had this message for the Chinese leaders on developments in Tibet, according to CNN, ""I strongly urge them to respect the rights of the people who are demonstrating there," McCain said. "There's a long history of Chinese treatment of the people in Tibet which is certainly not one that I think the Chinese should be proud of, and I hope that they would quickly respect the human rights of the people there.

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Canada Urges Beijing to talk with Dalai Lama

OTTAWA, March 21: Canada yesterday urged the Chinese government to start talks on Tibet with the Dalai Lama, the Buddhist leader-in-exile who Beijing has long viewed as a subversive force.

Despite its strongly worded calls for China to stop its crackdown on Tibet, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government was mum on whether the Prime Minister or his ministers would attend the Summer Olympics in Beijing in August.

Mr. Harper issued a statement in which he called upon China to "fully respect human rights and peaceful protest."

His Foreign Affairs Minister, Maxime Bernier, followed with a call for Beijing to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama - in effect a message to China that the only acceptable way out of the Tibetan showdown is through talks

"The most constructive option at the present time, I believe, would be for the government of China to enter into direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his designated representatives," Mr. Bernier said in a statement. "Such dialogue may help ensure an already tense situation does not deteriorate into further violence."

The message is part of an international effort to press China into talks with the Dalai Lama - officials in some other countries made similar statements yesterday, notably U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

About 600 people demonstrated in Ottawa yesterday against China's crackdown in Tibet, stopping on Parliament Hill where Conservative backbencher Pierre Poilievre read Mr. Harper's statement, which called on China to "show restraint."

"As his holiness the Dalai Lama told me when I met him, and as he has been saying recently, his message is one of non-violence and reconciliation and I join him in that call," Mr. Harper said in the statement. Mr. Harper's meeting with the Dalai Lama in Ottawa in November angered China.

However, Mr. Harper's government has not broached the issue most dear to China: the Beijing Olympics.

The Chinese government has accused a "clique" around the Dalai Lama of organizing violence in Tibet in a bid to sabotage the Olympics. Groups around the world, including the Canada Tibet Committee, have called for political leaders to skip the Olympics to show disapproval.

The White House said yesterday that U.S. President George W. Bush will not cancel his visit to the Olympics because of the Tibet crisis, arguing the event should be more about athletics than politics, and that the event would draw attention to China and its record.

Unlike other people, "he's able to speak very frankly to the Chinese president or the Russian president or whoever it might be," spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters, recalling that Mr. Bush has said previously he wants to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Mr. Harper's spokesman, Sandra Buckler, said the Prime Minister has not yet decided whether he will attend.

"We're looking at the situation closely," said another spokesman for Mr. Harper, Dimitri Soudas.

Wayne Marston, the NDP human-rights critic, said his party's caucus will meet in about two weeks to decide if its MPs should avoid the Games. The Liberals said the question was "premature" and foreign-affairs critic Bob Rae also called for dialogue.

Adam van Koeverden, a Canadian Olympic gold and bronze medalist in the kayak singles, said athletes are caught in the middle of a tug-of-war when politicians and activists bandy about the idea of boycotts.

"The Olympics are supposed to be an apolitical arena, when people get together for sport alone," said the 16-time world champion from Oakville, Ont.

France's human-rights minister Rama Yade said yesterday there should be no hasty international decision to boycott the opening ceremony of the Games over a crackdown in Tibet.

And Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has branded the boycott idea