Press Release 18 July 2003

[Beijing] Free Tibet Campaign has called on UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who arrives in China on Sunday (20 July) for two days, to press for unconditional dialogue on Tibet's future following two recent visits to China by representatives of the Dalai Lama. The Prime Minister must ask Hu Jintao, the new Chinese President, to drop the pre-conditions China maintains must be met before real negotiations can begin on Tibet.

"This is a critical moment in Tibet's history, and Tony Blair has a rare opportunity to make a positive impact in the progress of talks between China's top leadership and the Tibetan Government in exile," said Alison Reynolds of the Free Tibet Campaign, speaking in Beijing. "Amidst the scrutiny of his government's policy on Iraq, here is a real chance for Blair to make a difference in Tibet's long-standing peaceful struggle for freedom."

Formal contact between Beijing and Dharamsala re-opened in September 2002 after a decade of diplomatic stalemate. Two visits by envoys of the Dalai Lama to Beijing and areas in Tibet have taken place in the last ten months. However there must be a commitment from China's most senior leaders to maintain the momentum of the talks. An agreement to drop the pre-conditions would demonstrate that the process is genuine, and that China is not merely taking these steps to silence international criticism of its Tibet policy.

Tony Blair is expected to meet Hu Jintao, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and former President and current Chair of the Central Military Commission Jiang Zemin on Monday (21 July).

"Tony Blair must raise this issue directly with Hu Jintao, as the commitment to push for genuine dialogue with the exiled Tibetans must come from the very top of the Chinese Government," said Ms Reynolds. "Furthermore, Hu has direct experience of Tibet, as Party Secretary in the 1980s when he oversaw the imposition of martial law. Given Hu Jintao's hardline position in the past it would be unacceptable for Mr Blair to duck the issue of Tibet with Mr Hu."

Contact: Alison Reynolds in Beijing, tel: + 86 (0) 1353 653 6867
In London: Anne Callaghan + 44 (0)7905 922 701 or + 44 (0)20 7833 9958

Note for editors:
China's preconditions for dialogue with the Dalai Lama are: (i) the Dalai Lama must abandon his claim for the independence of Tibet and stop all 'splittist' activities (he has done this for at least ten years with the 'Strasbourg proposal' that called for 'genuine autonomy' for Tibet). (ii) the Dalai Lama must openly recognize Tibet as an inalienable part of China. (iii) the Dalai Lama must recognize Taiwan as one of China's provinces. (iv) the Dalai Lama must recognize the government of the People's Republic of China as the country's sole legitimate representative.