In the light of statements made by the Chinese Foreign Minister over night, the Australia Tibet Council is concerned that China will resist international calls for substantive dialogue on Tibet before the Olympics.

“We maintain that the Dalai Lama’s side must halt the separatist activity, ending violent acts of destruction against China, halt its activity to ruin the Olympics, (thereby creating the conditions for further meetings,” China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, said yesterday speaking to reporters during a visit to Rome.

At their last meeting, Envoys of the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials agreed to hold a formal dialogue today, 11 June but these talks have been postponed to an unspecified date.

‘China appears to be reverting to its old practice of repression in Tibet, denial of media access and propaganda’ said Paul Bourke, Executive Officer of the Australia Tibet Council.

ATC is concerned that diplomatic pressure on China over the Tibet issue eased after the informal meeting between Chinese officials and representatives of the Dalai Lama in early May and the agreement to hold a further round of dialogue. However, with less than two months remaining before the Olympics, ATC fears that the Chinese government believes that it can use delaying tactics to avoid addressing the Tibet issue.

‘It’s clear that it is going to take concerted pressure from concerned governments for the talks even to go ahead and a major shift in China’s approach for results-orientated formal negotiations to begin before the Games.’

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is scheduled to meet the Dalai Lama in Sydney this week. ATC has asked the Australian Government to talk to the Dalai Lama about ways in which Australia can actively promote and support negotiations on an ongoing basis.

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