19 February, 2010

International Campaign for Tibet

26 January, 2010

International Campaign for Tibet

Dialogue between Tibet and China

In connection with the resumption of negotiations between representatives of the Dalai Lama and China, the Foreign Minister states:

"I am very satisfied that the negotiations between representatives of the Dalai Lama and China have now been resumed after a 15 months break. I therefore again call on both parties to engage constructively in the negotiations and hope that the dialogue will be carried through to a result which ensures that Tibetans attain genuine self-rule, with cultural and religious freedom and respect for human rights within the framework of the Chinese constitution. Dialogue is the only way forward to a peaceful solution to the question of Tibet."

04 January, 2010

International Campaign for Tibet

The UK-China Human Rights dialogue, which was due to take place on 11 January 2010, has been postponed by China.

It is not known whether the postponement is for logistical or political reasons. There have been tense exchanges between the British and Chinese government in recent weeks following China's execution of a British citizen shortly before the New Year.

07 December, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

An international group of parliamentarians has written an open letter calling for discussion of the Tibetan environment at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, also known as COP15.

Tibet, the world's largest and highest plateau, is the 'world's third pole' because it contains the biggest ice fields outside of the Arctic and Antarctic. The Tibetan plateau is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world and the impact of melting glaciers could be catastrophic. No other area in the world is a water repository of such size, serving as a lifeline for much of a continent and for millions of people. The sustainable management of Tibet has become a 
serious security issue in the region.

26 November, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

The European Parliament has passed a resolution in which it calls for an end to the death penalty in China and expresses concern at the way in which ethnic minorities are treated before the law in China.

The resolution strongly condemned the execution of the two Tibetans, Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak, in September and called for the commutation of all other death sentences related to protests in Tibet during 2008, citing concern over whether the convicted have received a fair trial.

The resolution also called for "the reopening of sincere and results-orientated dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama's representatives, based on the 'Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People' and leading towards a positive, substantial and meaningful change in Tibet consistent with the principles outlined in the Constitution and laws of the People's Republic of China."

24 November, 2009

Statement of the Swedish EU Presidency

On 20 November 2009 the European Union and the People's Republic of China held the 28th round of the EU-China Dialogue on Human Rights in Beijing.

19 November, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

The 5th World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet ended in Rome on 19 November with the adoption of the Rome Declaration on Tibet. The convention was attended by 133 Parliamentarians and associates from 30 Parliaments around the world and included an address by the Dalai Lama at the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament.

29 October, 2009

Presidency of the European Union

The European Union condemns the recent executions of two Tibetans, Mr Lobsang Gyaltsen and Mr Loyak.

On the basis of its principled opposition to the death penalty, the EU, on 8 May 2009, called for a commutation of the death sentences handed down by Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court to several Tibetans, among them Mr Lobsang Gyaltsen and Mr Loyak, following the Lhasa riots in March 2008.

29 October, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

The Tibet Society in the UK has announced that Harry Cohen, Chair of the UK's All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, with cross party support, has tabled an Early Day Motion in the UK parliament related to what it calls the 'deplorable judicial executions' of two Tibetans on 20 October 2009. Cross party MPs from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet have also written directly to the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband following up on the EDM and asking that confirmation is sought from the Chinese government on the whereabouts of three further Tibetans who have been handed death sentences with a two year reprieve. A series of parliamentary questions will also be tabled in the House.

23 October, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

In a statement on the UK Foreign Office website and the website of the UK Beijing Embassy, Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis condemned the execution of two Tibetans in Lhasa and called on China to urgently review the cases of those who remain under sentence of death.

06 October, 2009

Special Envoy of H.H. the Dalai Lama

Washington, DC - His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived Monday in Washington, DC, for a five-day visit today during which he will meet Speaker Pelosi and other Congressional leaders. His Holiness has many years of personal close friendship with many members of Congress and he is greatly appreciative of the consistent and strong bipartisan support extended by the US Congress to the Tibetan people. The US Congress bestowed the Congressional Gold Medal upon His Holiness in 2007.

His Holiness will not be meeting with President Obama on this visit. From the outset, there has been no question of President Obama not at the appropriate time meeting His Holiness, whom he holds in great esteem. Taking a broader and long-term perspective, His Holiness agreed to meet the President after the November US- China Summit," Mr Lodi Gyari, Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama said.

01 October, 2009

Office of the Spokesman, US State Dept.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced today the appointment of Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero to serve concurrently as Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. As Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Under Secretary Otero will coordinate the U.S. Government’s policies, programs and projects on Tibetan issues within the context of our bilateral relationship with the People’s Republic of China.

25 September, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) recently concluded its visit to China and Tibet and has released their initial findings from the trip to Beijing and Lhasa. The mission, from the 9-17 September, focused on the role and expertise of civil society in increasing knowledge about the economic and social situation in Tibet, as well as exploring possible fields of cooperation, especially in the areas of education, access to employment and healthcare.

14 September, 2009

International Campaign for Tibet

The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama today confirmed that discussions between the Dalai Lama and a senior US Government delegation took place in Dharamsala on September 13 and 14.  The delegation was led by Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, and included Maria Otero, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs (designated to serve concurrently as Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues) and other US Government officials.