DHARAMSHALA, April 30: The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile yesterday wrote to French President Francois Hollande, thanking him for raising the issue of Tibet and human rights during his recent meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping.
In the letter, Deputy Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel expressed “deep appreciation” to President Hollande on behalf of the Tibetan people for raising the issue of Tibet and human rights with the new leadership of China.
“We remain grateful to you for your support and sympathy for the struggle of the Tibetan people and we look forward to your continued cooperation in the future as well,” Deputy Speaker of the Dharamshala based Tibetan Parliament said.
President Hollande during his visit to China last week became the first western leader to meet President Xi in Beijing.
It was reported he raised the issue of Tibet and the self-immolations in Tibet with Xi. Since 2009, as many as 117 known Tibetans living under China’s rule have set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.
President Hollande told reporters in Beijing that he had raised the issue of Tibet and human rights in a “frank and respectful manner” in his meetings with Chinese leaders.
Euronews quoted President Hollande as saying that the recent self-immolations in Tibet “created some legitimate emotion.”
“Regarding human rights and democratic principles, they are both part of the dialogue that we are having. It should not be seen as an obligation, we should simply put this issue as it should be: as part of frank and respectful political dialogue.”
Prior to President Hollande’s China visit, a survey by a leading French poll house showed that almost 70% of the French people wanted their president to raise the situation of human rights and civil liberties with his counterpart. Of that another 66% of the people polled wanted President Hollande to raise his concerns about the situation of Tibetans in China.
