Downing Street Says

Asked for the Prime Minister’s view on the situation in Tibet, and had he spoken to any international leaders on this, the PMS replied that we were following with concern recent unrest in Tibet, as well as related incidents in India and Nepal, and had called on the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint. We had been discussing this matter with EU partners and the EU would be issuing a statement during the course of today. Bilaterally we had registered our concern on a daily basis with both the Chinese Government in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in London.

Put that our reaction was rather muted compared to how we reacted to events in Burma last year, and was this because we did not want to upset diplomatic and trade relations with China, the PMS replied that we were taking this issue very seriously. We were raising it on a daily basis with the Chinese authorities, and we were concerned about what was being reported from Lhasa. Obviously it was difficult at the moment to establish what the full facts were.

Asked when the Dalai Lama visits London, in what guise would he meet the Prime Minister, as a foreign leader or as a religious leader, the PMS replied that issues relating to the Dalai Lama’s visit were still at very early stages. At the moment we were focusing all our efforts on the current situation in Tibet, we were registering our concerns with the Chinese authorities, and this was not the time to deal with particular arrangements relating to the Dalai Lama’s visit to the UK.

Asked at what level contacts with the Chinese had been made, officials or Ministers, the PM replied that it was best to check with the Foreign Office on that, but there had been contact between both the British Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese Government, and with the Chinese Embassy here in London.

Asked if the Prime Minister had been in contact with his counterpart, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister was being kept closely informed of the situation in relation to Tibet.

Asked if the Prime Minister was having second thoughts about going to Beijing later this year, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister was not having second thoughts.

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» Monday, March 17, 2008

Tibet

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