July 1 – Kalon Kesang Y. Takla, Minister for Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamasala arrived at Narita Tokyo International airport today. She was received by Mr. Tshoko Lhakpa, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Japan. The Save Tibet Network has invited Minister Takla to give a keynote speech to the Save Tibet Asia Pacific Forum scheduled on 2nd and 3rd July in Tokyo.
Asia Pacific Forum is by organized by Save-Tibet Network (STN) represented by Mr Makino Seishu, former Japanese Parliamentarian. The Forum is organized with a view to make the Tibet issue heard and discussed in the forthcoming G-8 summit in Japan. Participants in the Forum will be Parliamentarians and Tibet supporters from Japan, Australia and Taiwan. Minister Takla is going to be the key speaker. The participants will make presentations on Tibet relating to human rights, environment, cultural genocide, population transfer et al. Objective of the Forum is to make a convincing and strong resolution at the end of the meeting to represent during G-8 summit to urge Chinese leadership to address the Tibetan issue and to take the on going dialogue seriously to resolve the Tibetan matter.
Just after she checked into a hotel, Kalon Takla attended a luncheon hosted with the press by The Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Japan (FCC) at Yurakucho. She explained the objective of her visit as a response to the invitation by Save Tibet Asia Pacific Forum organizers to highlight the issue on Tibet, and to make presentations along with the participants at the Forum to the leaders of G-8 countries to take up Tibet issue during their forthcoming summit in Sapporo, Japan.
She said following the March 10 unrest in Tibet, conscience of the world has been raised to what is really happening inside Tibet. She added that the peaceful demonstrations across Tibet was a clear indication of the fact that Tibetans in Tibet are not happy under the present Chinese regime. She thanked the Japanese government and the public for their support and interest, and explained that His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-exile have been persistent in the middle path approach for genuine autonomy since 1970s when Deng Xiaoping had said that anything except independence could be negotiated. Although the past negotiations since 2002 didn’t bear any concrete result, she said she was hopeful of the ongoing talk.
She also said resolution of Tibet issue is not only in the interest of Tibetans but also in the interest of China. “If China wants a place in the world leadership, Chinese leadership should show sincere political will to solve Tibet issue. The ongoing talk is a very good opportunity for the Chinese leadership to raise its image and show to the world that it is sincere and a responsible state.”
She reiterated the Tibetan Government-in-exile’s stand that they are seeking genuine autonomy for the three provinces of Tibet and said that this right is very much enshrined in the Chinese constitution and that they are not seeking independence or separation from China.
Later Kalon Takla attended to the questions from the press. According to the organizer, there were some 45 press representatives from major media and local papers. The press conference concluded with a note of thanks from Catherine Makino, President of Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Japan. Kalon Takla’s press conference was broadcasted on Japanese NHK television in the evening.
Kalon Takla will attend the Asia Pacific Forum tomorrow at Gakushi Kaikan in which Parliamentarians and supporters from Australia, Taiwan and Japan are scheduled to participate.
Report filed by Tibet House, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, JAPAN (www.tibethouse.jp)
