British Foreign Secretary issues Written Ministerial Statement on upcoming round of Sino-Tibetan talks

British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, today issued a Written Ministerial Statement (1) on Tibet. The statement noted that “a new round of talks on Tibet between the Chinese Government and representatives of the Dalai Lama is likely to take place shortly” and continued by setting out the position of the British government on the talks and Tibet more generally.

Free Tibet has welcomed certain points raised in the statement:

The statement noted that the Chinese government had set conditions on the dialogue. Free Tibet welcomes the reiteration by the British government of its belief that the Dalai Lama has met such conditions and that his meeting of such conditions “provides a basis for a negotiated settlement”. Free Tibet believes this sends a strong signal to the Chinese Government that it should no longer cite the Dalai Lama as an obstacle to the talks.

Free Tibet similarly welcomes the acknowledgement by the British government that “no government which is committed to promoting international respect for human rights can remain silent on the issue of Tibet, or disinterested in a solution to its problems.”

Free Tibet is also pleased to note, after several months of silence, a renewed public statement of concern by the British government regarding the situation of those who remain in detention following the unrest” [in March and April]. Referring to such ongoing detentions and “the limitations on free access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region by diplomats and journalists” the statement publicly states that “these issues reinforce long-held unease on the part of the [British] Government about the underlying human rights situation in Tibet.”

While Free Tibet welcomes such renewed acknowledgements that the Dalai Lama has met the conditions set out by China for dialogue as a step towards ensuring greater engagement by China in the talks, Free Tibet considers the British government must go further in ensuring that the talks are substantive, constructive and results-orientated. Specifically, Free Tibet considers it imperative that the British government publicly explains how it will measure the effectiveness of, and progress made in, future rounds of dialogue.

Free Tibet is disappointed that the British government has not publicly sponsored a call for an international delegation to visit Tibet to launch an independent investigation into events in Tibet this spring.

Director of Free Tibet, Stephanie Brigden, said:

“The British government, and other foreign governments, must now move beyond a position of welcoming talks for the sake of talks. The Chinese government must be held accountable for a worsening human rights situation in Tibet, a situation that the Foreign Secretary in his statement today admits to causing long-standing ‘unease’. A call for an international fact-finding delegation to Tibet would be a good first step: even if such a demand were rejected by China it would at least signal to China that the international community will not remain silent on gross human rights violations in Tibet.”

Ends

For further information: Matt Whitticase: +44 (0)20 7324 4605 / +44 (0)7515 788456
Or e-mail matt@freetibet.org

Notes to Editor:

(1)   The full text of the Written Ministerial Statement appears below.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office Written Ministerial Statement 29 October 2008 Tibet The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. David Miliband): A new round of talks on Tibet between the Chinese Government and representatives of the Dalai Lama is likely to take place shortly. These talks are hugely important for the future of Tibet. They provide the only forum in which there is any realistic possibility of progress to resolve the differences between the parties involved.

The Chinese Government has said that it is serious about dialogue and that it hopes for a positive outcome. It has set conditions for dialogue which we believe the Dalai Lama has met. The Dalai Lama has made clear that he is not seeking separation or independence. He has said repeatedly that he is seeking a resolution to the situation of Tibet within the framework of the Chinese constitution, a point he made explicitly in an interview with the Financial Times on 24 May during his visit to the United Kingdom. He said: he was “not seeking separation, not seeking independence, but within the framework of the Chinese Constitution, meaningful realistic autonomy [for Tibetans]”. He has maintained a clear opposition to violence.

The British Government has a strong interest in the dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama’s representatives, although we are not a party to it. No government which is committed to promoting international respect for human rights can remain silent on the issue of Tibet, or disinterested in a solution to its problems.

Britain has been clear under this Government about our commitment to the people of Tibet. We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation there. My Rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out our concerns to Premier Wen during discussions in the spring and again when they met in Beijing during the Olympic Games. I have made the same point to Foreign Minister Yang on a number of occasions since the unrest in March this year in Tibet. We have consistently made clear that we want to see the human rights of the Tibetan people respected, including through respect for their distinct culture, language, traditions and religions. Our interest is not in restoring an order which existed 60 years ago and which the Dalai Lama himself has said he does not seek to restore.

We are also concerned at more immediate issues arising directly from the unrest of this spring, including the situation of those who remain in detention following the unrest, the increased constraints on religious activity, and the limitations on free access to the Tibetan Autonomous Region by diplomats and journalists. These issues reinforce long-held unease on the part of the Government about the underlying human rights situation in Tibet.

Other countries have made similar points. But our position is unusual for one reason of history that has been imported into the present: the anachronism of our formal position on whether Tibet is part of China, and whether in fact we harbour continued designs to see the break up of China. We do not.

Our ability to get our points across has sometimes been clouded by the position the UK took at the start of the 20th century on the status of Tibet, a position based on the geo-politics of the time. Our recognition of China’s “special position” in Tibet developed from the outdated concept of suzerainty. Some have used this to cast doubt on the aims we are pursuing and to claim that we are denying Chinese sovereignty over a large part of its own territory. We have made clear to the Chinese Government, and publicly, that we do not support Tibetan independence. Like every other EU member state, and the United States, we regard Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China. Our interest is in long term stability, which can only be achieved through respect for human rights and greater autonomy for the Tibetans.

We have noted recent comments by the Dalai Lama regretting the lack of progress in the dialogue so far. We are also aware of indications of growing frustration among some Tibetans about the dialogue process. We consider the position the Dalai Lama has stated publicly, including when he visited Britain this year, that he opposes violence and is seeking meaningful autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution, provides a basis for a negotiated settlement. Our strong view is that genuine progress at the next round of talks is essential to promote progress on such a settlement. Participation in these talks carries a weight of responsibility for both parties.