By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, October 23: An International activist group urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday to raise the issue of Tibet during her visit to China.
Merkel arrived in Beijing Thursday to participate in the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit on Friday and Saturday.
She is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Thursday and President Hu Jintao on Friday.
“At this critical juncture in relations between Europe and China, Chancellor Merkel must press Chinese President Hu Jintao for tangible results from the dialogue between the Dalai Lama’s representatives and Chinese officials,” Kate Saunders, communications director of the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet, was quoted as saying by Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
This largest-ever ASEM gathering took place at a time of severe repression against peaceful dissent in Tibet, Saunders said.
The German chancellor and the other heads of state and government should press during their talks in Beijing for inclusion of a reference to the situation in Tibet and the necessity to respect the rights of Tibetans in the final ASEM statement and declaration, she said.
A new round of dialogue between the Chinese government and representatives of the Dalai Lama, are planned to take place sometime later this month.
Little information is available about the current situation in Tibet as the region was sealed off by Chinese authorities following massive anti-China unrest earlier this year.
China has reported only 22 people were killed in the riots, but Tibet’s Government in exile based in India accuses China of killing over 200 Tibetans and injuring many more during the brutal crackdown. Besides, China has detained more than 1,000 Tibetans, although human rights groups say the number could be higher and remains unaccounted for.
Putting any discussion of Tibet aside at ASEM because of Chinese sensitivities would run counter to the ASEM agenda, which is to promote understanding and enhance cooperation through dialogue, Saunders said.
Earlier in June, Merkel asked Hu Jintao to push for a successful outcome to Sino-Tibetan talks when the two met in Japan during the Group of Eight summit.
Merkel was set to raise human rights issues, her spokesman reportedly said prior to her departure.
Similarly, a European-based group representing China’s mainly Muslim Uighur minority also urged Merkel to press China to allow international investigation of claims that Uighurs were involved in several plots to attack the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
“We hope that Merkel can ask, through diplomatic channels, for an international investigation of their claims,” dpa reported Dilxat Raxit of the World Uighur Congress as saying.
