International Resolutions & Recognition
on Sino-Tibetan Dialogue
Excerpts from the Statement of Commissioner for External Relations released on 15 December 2005
In a statement on behalf of Commissioner for External Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, released on 15 December 2005, G?nter Verheugen,
Vice-President of the European Commission, said, "The Commission shares
the concerns of the European Parliament regarding the human rights
situation in China, in particular the detention of monks and closure of
monasteries in Tibet as well as constitutional developments in Hong
Kong. These issues are very high in the agenda of our dialogue with
China." The Vice-President further added, "We hope that a solution
compatible with the Chinese sovereignty and the respects of the Tibetan
population will be found soon. In our view, to reach this ultimate
goal, there is no other alternative but a peaceful process based on
dialogue. We have called for years, and will continue to call, for the
establishment of such a dialogue. We therefore fully support the
process which has been taking place over the past years between Beijing
and the representatives of the Dalai-Lama. We firmly believe that only
such a direct dialogue can be conducive to a lasting solution of the
Tibetan issue. In our view, the opening of a direct dialogue should not
be made subject to any precondition. On the other hand, the respective
parties should refrain from taking any step which would compromise the
establishment of a climate of confidence which appears as indispensable
if a solution were to be reach."
Excerpts from the European Parliament Resolution on Tibet and Hong Kong adopted on 15 December 2005
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Tibet and the human rights situation in China,
- having regard to the Joint Statement of the Eighth EU-China Summit held in Beijing on 5 September 2005,
- having regard to the lack of progress in the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue,
- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
- Calls on the Government of the PRC to continue the dialogue with the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama;
- Urges the Conference of Presidents to invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama to address the European Parliament during 2006.
Excerpts from the European Parliament resolution on Tibet [P6_TA-PROV(2005)0010], January 2005
The European Parliament,
- recalling its earlier resolutions on Tibet and the human rights situation in China,
- having regard to its resolution of 18 November 2004[1] on Tibet, the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche,
- having regard to the human rights dialogue between the EU and China,
- having
regard to religious freedom in China and in particular the case of
Julius Jia Zhiguo, bishop of the northern Chinese province of Hebei,
- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
F.
whereas, at the request of the then European Council, the Council is
currently re-examining the embargo on arms sales to China which was
decided and implemented in 1989,
G. whereas the Chinese Government recently received representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
- Calls
once more on the Government of the People's Republic of China to stop
its continued violation of the human rights of the Tibetan people and
other minorities and to ensure that it respects international standards
of human rights and humanitarian law, as well as religious rights;
- Calls
on the Council and the Member States to maintain the EU embargo on
trade in arms with the People's Republic of China and not to weaken the
existing national limitations on such arms sales; considers that this
embargo should be maintained until such time as the EU has adopted a
legally binding Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and the People's
Republic of China has taken concrete steps towards improving the human
rights situation, inter alia by ratifying the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and by fully respecting the rights of
minorities;
- Calls
on the Government of the People's Republic of China to step up the
ongoing dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama so as to
reach a mutually acceptable solution to the Tibet issue without further
delay;
- Instructs its President to forward this resolution
to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Chinese
Government, the Governor of Sichuan Province, and the Chief Prosecutor
of the Sichuan Provincial People's Procuratorate.
Excerpts from the resolution passed in the European Parliament on 18th November 2004
The resolution was tabled by 5 political groups.
The European Parliament,
- Calls on the Government of the
People?s Republic of China to step up the ongoing dialogue with the
Representatives of the Dalai Lama with the aim of reaching a mutually
acceptable solution to the issue of Tibet without further delay;
- Re-iterates,
in this respect, its call to the Council to appoint an EU Special
Representative for Tibetan Affairs so as to contribute effectively to
the peaceful resolution of this issue.
Excerpts from the German Greens Tibet Resolution (2 and 3 October 2004)
Third Party Congress, Kiel, Germany
Tibet Resolution: Alliance 90/The Greens
- Tibet, i.e. the Tibet Autonomous
Region (TAR) and all Tibetan areas outside of the TAR, should be
administered by Tibetans for Tibetans in a genuine autonomy, according
to principles of ecological compatibility, which protect and preserve
life and nature, as the Dalai Lama has been calling for for over 20
years.
- We call on the Federal Government to explicitly and
firmly request the Chinese leadership, in particular Hu Jintao and Wen
Jiabao, to negotiate with the Dalai Lama for a peaceful resolution of
the Sino-Tibetan conflict.
Excerpts from the resolution adopted by the Dutch Parliament on 18 December 2003
Second Chamber of the Parliament-Tweede Kamer
Having deliberated thereupon and:
- Considering that it is of great
importance that a dialogue be initiated between China and Tibet, and
that the issue of Tibet has been insufficiently addressed within the
context of the dialogue on human rights between the European Union and
China;
- Considering that the United States has appointed a
Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, who is making active efforts to
bring about a dialogue between the Chinese government and the Tibetan
government in exile;
- And considering that Special Representatives for certain regions, but not Tibet, have been appointed at the European level;
- Hereby requests the government to call for the appointment of a Special Representative for Tibet at the European level.
Resolution adopted by the "European Parliament Forum on Tibet: EU Response to Sino-Tibetan Dialogue"
European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium, 12 November 2003
The participants of the "European Parliament Forum on Tibet," which
includes Members of the European Parliament from all Member States of
the European Union, Members of National Parliaments and of Candidate
States gathered in Brussels on 12 November 2003 to consider the
situation in Tibet[1] and the European Union's response to Sino-Tibetan
dialogue, are unanimously resolved in:
- Deploring
the continuing violation of the individual and collective rights of the
Tibetan people, including the right of self-determination as affirmed
in UN Resolution 1723 (XVI), and the ongoing repression of the Tibetan
peoples' political and religious beliefs by the government of the
People's Republic of China (PRC);
- Noting the longstanding
commitment of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile to
non-violence and their consistent efforts to ensure a peaceful,
negotiated solution for Tibet through dialogue with the government of
the People's Republic of China;
- Welcoming the renewed contact between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials in September 2002 and in May-June 2003;
- Recalling
the European Parliament resolution of 19 December 2002 which urges the
Chinese Government to immediately commute the death sentence handed
down to Tibetan Buddhist leader, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche;
- Welcoming
that in the 13 October 2003 European Union policy paper, the European
Council highlighted encouraging dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the
government of the People's Republic of China to find a mutually
acceptable solution to the issue of Tibet as a European Union priority
for political dialogue with the government of the People's Republic of
China;
- Regretting that, despite these policy commitments,
the EU-China Summit of 30 October 2003 failed to address the issue of
Tibet and that the European Union human rights dialogue with the PRC
has not had any positive effect on the situation in Tibet;
- Recognising
the constructive impact of the work of European Union Special
Representatives in promoting the resolution of conflicts in various
regions of the world;
- Recalling the European Parliament
resolutions of 15 January 1998 and 11 April 2002, the requests by the
Dalai Lama in his 24 October 2001 address to the European Parliament
and his letters of 11 March 2002 to the Foreign Ministers of all
European Union Member States, and the request by the international
coalition of Tibet Support Groups in their recent communique to the
heads of the European Council, Commission and Parliament, for the
appointment of a European Union Special Representative for Tibet;
- Commending
the allocation in the 2003 and 2004 European Union budgets for the
appointment of a European Union Special Representative for Tibet;
- Recalling
the European Parliament resolution of 6 July 2000, specifically its
call for governments of the Member States to give serious consideration
to the possibility of recognising the Tibetan Government in Exile as
the legitimate representative of the Tibetan people;
- Calls
for the European Council and Commission to implement the existing
European Union budget allocation to immediately appoint a high-level
European Union Special Representative for Tibet, whose mandate is to
promote substantive dialogue between the government of the People's
Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives and whose
term is directly linked to notable progress in this;
- Calls
for the release of all political prisoners, including Tenzin Delek
Rinpoche, who is under a death sentence and could be executed by China
as soon as April 2004;
- Calls on the European Union to
prominently raise the issue of Tibet during the EU-China human rights
dialogue session in Beijing on 26 November 2003 and during future
EU/China Summits;
- Calls for the European Union and all
European governments to use every opportunity to strongly impress upon
the government of the PRC to build on the re-establishment of contact
with the representatives of the Dalai Lama and to immediately embark
upon earnest and sincere negotiations with the object of finding a just
and lasting political solution;
- Recommends that, in light
of the renewed contact between Dharamsala and Beijing, the European
Parliament reviews any progress made, invites the Dalai Lama to address
the Parliament about the deteriorating situation in Tibet and the
status of discussions with the PRC, and reconsiders whether to
implement the 6 July 2000 resolution which proposed to recognise the
Tibetan Government in Exile as the legitimate representative of the
Tibetan people; vRecommends that the European Parliament hold an expert
European Parliament Hearing on Tibet to examine the serious issues of
population transfer, economic marginalisation, and development and
environmental degradation, which the Tibetan people are facing today;
- Urge
China to drop all preconditions to negotiations and to issue a clear
commitment to continue the present contact with representatives of the
Dalai Lama with the aim of leading to substantive dialogue;
- Instructs
the Chair of this Forum to forward this resolution to the Council, the
Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Government of China, the
Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile, as well as the
governments of the Member States of the Council of Europe.
[1] Reference to Tibet in this documents means the three provinces of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo.
White House Statement on His Holiness' Meeting with President Bush
WHITE HOUSE
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
September 10, 2003
12:49 P.M. EDT
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everybody. Earlier today, the President
met with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, you heard from the Dalai Lama
outside. This was their second meeting to discuss Tibet. The President
reiterated our strong commitment to support the preservation of Tibet's
unique religious, cultural and linguistic identity, and the protection
of the human rights of all Tibetans.
The President also declared his strong support for the Dalai Lama's
commitment to the dialogue with China. The President said he would seek
ways to encourage China to continue the dialogue on a substantive
basis, and expressed his hope that the Chinese government would respond
favorably. The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of
strong and constructive U.S.-China relations.
State Department Statement Over Envoys' Visit
27 May 2003: State Department spokesman Richard Boucher read the
statement below at today's mid-day State Department press briefing.
"We were pleased to learn that Mr. Lodi Gyari, the Dalai Lama's Special
Envoy, and his delegation were received by Chinese officials on May 25
in Shanghai. We understand that this is a follow-on trip to the
September 2002 visit when two the sides renewed contact. We look
forward to hearing more on the conclusion of the talks. The President
and the Secretary continue to discuss with Chinese leaders the need for
substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representative to
resolve long standing differences. The Administration will follow this
visit with great interest and we hope this trip will bring both sides
closer to engaging in such a dialogue."
Excerpts from the European Parliament's Resolution on Human Rights in Tibet
Adopted on 23 December 2002 at Strasbourg
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On the human rights situation of Tibetans
The European Parliament,
- Recalling its earlier resolutions on Tibet and the human rights situation in China;
- Whereas the Chinese Government has received representatives of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, recently;
- Calls on the Government of China to continue to dialogue between the government and the representatives of the Dalai Lama.
- Instructs
its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the
Commission, the UN Secretary-General and the government of China.
Tibet Resolution Passed in the Italian Parliament
Adopted in the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament on 9th October 2002
The House of Representatives,
- Given the European Parliament
resolutions regarding Tibet dated October 14, 1987, March 15, 1989,
September 15, 1993, May 17, 1995, July 13, 1995, April 18, 1996, May
23, 1996, May 13, 1997, January 16,1998, May 13, 1998, July 6, 2000,
April 11, 2002;
- Given the resolutions regarding fundamental
rights violations in Tibet adopted by the German Bundestag (October 15,
1987, June 20, 1996 and April 18,2002), adopted by the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the Italian House of Representatives (April 12, 1989), by
the Belgian House of Representatives (June 20, 1990), adopted by the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the Irish Parliament (July 21, 1998);
- Given
the resolution adopted on August 23, 1991 by the United Nations
sub-Committee for the prevention of discrimination and protection of
the rights of minorities;
- Given the resolutions adopted by
the United States Government, by the Australian Senate and House of
Representatives and by the Czech Parliament;
- Given the
Constituent Act of the ?Association of Italian Communities, provinces
and Regions? an organization which many local organizations have joined;
Keeping in mind
- The tragic historical events experienced since 1949 up until today by the Tibetan people;
Keeping in mind
- The United Nations resolution n. 1353 of the year 1959, and n. 1723 of the year 1961 and n. 2079 of the year1965;
- The
?agreement consisting of 17 points? signed in Beijing by the Tibetan
authorities, whom, although recognizing the fact that Tibet has become
part of the People?s Republic, guaranteed as well, full autonomy for
Tibet and, particularly, the acknowledgement of its political system
and the full respect of religious freedom;
- The repeated
attempts to give new force to the dialogue with Beijing authorities
made by the Dalai Lama with the ?five point program?, presented before
the American Parliament in 1987, and with the ?Strasbourg proposal?,
presented before the European Parliament in 1988;
Considers
- Favourably,
to the ends of reinforcing dialogue and negotiations, the Dalai Lama?s
position as far as it concerns the realization of an autonomous
government for Tibet within the People?s Republic of China; it shares
its profound concern for the serious damage already done to the Tibetan
environment, traditions, culture and the Tibetan religion, and for the
deterioration of the situation regarding human rights in Tibet; it
expresses a positive judgement regarding the recent contacts commenced
between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama and hopes that these
will become, as soon as possible, true direct negotiations between the
Chinese government and the Dalai Lama with the aim of defining a new
statute which guarantees full autonomy for Tibet within the Chinese
People?s Republic;
Adopts as its own
- The European Parliament resolutions dated July 6, 2000 and April 11, 2002,
It commits the Government to
- the
adoption, among the afore said European Parliament resolutions, of all
the possible initiatives regarding the People?s Republic of China, so
that, by way of dialogue, conditions be created for the realization of
a new statute for Tibet, which will guarantee full autonomy for the
Tibetan people in all sectors of political, economic and cultural life,
with the exception of foreign affairs and defense;
- call
upon the Chinese government to acknowledge and fully respect the
fundamental political, social and cultural rights of religious, ethnic
and other minorities, and also their cultural specificity including
religious freedom;
- aid, in accordance with the other European Union members, the dialogue between the Beijing authorities and the Dalai Lama;
- work within the European Commission so as to designate an observer from the European Union concerning the Tibetan issue.
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