Free Tibet Campaign welcomes today’s announcement by the United States that it plans to introduce a resolution critical of China at the 60th United Nations Commission for Human Rights (UNCHR). The campaign group expressed the hope that the resolution would contain robust language about the situation in Tibet, and called on the European Union not only to co-sponsor it, but also to give the United States active diplomatic support in securing other co-sponsors and positive votes. An announcement from the European Union concerning its position regarding China and the 60th UNCHR is expected later today.
“The European Union must co-sponsor this resolution in order to demonstrate its commitment to China and Tibet, which appears to be sadly lacking at present,” said Alison Reynolds of Free Tibet Campaign, “for unlike the United States, the EU has so far refused to appoint a Special Representative for Tibet and is even considering lifting the embargo on arms sales to China. The EU cannot allow itself to be bought off by empty gestures, such as the occasional release of a political prisoner, and recognise that its current policy of dialogue is failing to deliver satisfactory improvements in Tibet.” she added.
The US State Department’s recent Human Rights report strongly criticised China, and the US has discontinued its own human rights dialogue with China, following what Secretary of State Colin Powell described as “backsliding” (1). State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, announcing today’s decision to present a resolution, said that the United States is “disappointed” that China did not keep to its commitments on human rights. However, the USA’s firm political pressure on Tibet is believed to have been a major factor in what positive steps there have been, including the release of Tibetan political prisoners and the re-opening of formal contact between representatives of the Dalai Lama and Beijing.
