David Miliband's 2008 statement on Tibet's status

Senior Conservative MEP accuses Miliband of 'treachery' over Tibet

Mon, 9 March 2009 | Political Party Press Release

Summary
The Conservative group in the European Union has announced that its MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, who is a European Parliament vice-president and the longest-serving member of its Foreign Affairs Committee, will accuse the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband of 'treachery' over Tibet. It said he would make the accusation ahead of the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Tibet by the Han Chinese.

Mr McMillan-Scott will say: 'Instead of giving the EU a lead, given Britain's earlier role in Tibet, David Milliband's treacherous statement last November fatally undermines the position of most Tibetans, who are desperate for freedom.' He went on to quote Mr Miliband and added: 'At a stroke he condemned a nation. It is lamentable that the British government should mark the 50th anniversary of international abandonment of this unique and spiritual people by effectively conceding to Beijing. This is a new low point in British foreign policy.'

Contents
Conservatives in the European Parliament

EDWARD McMILLAN-SCOTT

Vice-President

Press release

Date: 9th March 2009

Senior MEP denounces Miliband’s 'treachery' over Tibet

Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Tibet by the Han Chinese (March 10), Mr Edward McMillan-Scott MEP (Yorkshire & Humber, Conservative), a European Parliament vice-president, the longest-serving member of its Foreign Affairs Committee and the UK's senior MEP, will accuse the British Foreign Secreatary of treachery over Tibet:

“The world must not forget this tragic, beautiful and occupied country. The way that Beijing has treated Tibet since its occupation in 1959 rightly remains an international scandal.

"Tibet deserves independence from China as it is culturally, ethnically and geographically distinct. I look forward to the EU taking a tougher line on the so-called 'talks' on Tibet’s future between Beijing and the Dalai Lama’s representative."

McMillan-Scott, a persistent critic of the Beijing regime especially since his last visit in May 2006, when all the Chinese with whom he had contact - dissidents, reformers, ex-prisoners of conscience - were imprisoned and in several cases tortured to this day, was the first politician to enter Tibet in 1996 after a previous three-year ban. He has met the Dalai Lama on several occasions and initiated a debate in Strasbourg this week (Thursday March 12) on the EU's role in the talks on Tibet.

Speaking in a Strabourg press conference on Tuesday (11.30 a.m. Local March 10) McMillan-Scott will say: "Instead of giving the EU a lead, given Britain's earlier role in Tibet, David Milliband's treacherous statement last November fatally undermines the position of most Tibetans, who are desperate for freedom"

In a parliamentary answer David Miliband stated, “Like every other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China”.

McMillan-Scott comments: "At a stroke he condemned a nation. It is lamentable that the British government should mark the 50th anniversary of international abandonment of this unique and spiritual people by effectively conceding to Beijing. This is a new low point in British foreign policy."

ENDS