MB Civic

EU: Dialogue between Chinese Government and Dalai Lama
www.europarl.europa.eu
15-02-2007

The European Union has taken a close
interest in the situation of Tibet in recent
months. In this latest parliamentary
resolution MEPs urge a resumption of the
process of dialogue between China and the
Dalai Lama which was launched September 2002 but has stalled in the last 12 months.

The resolution, adopted by 71 votes to 0
with 1 abstention, opens by “welcoming the commitment of the Government of the People’s Republic of China and His Holiness
the Dalai Lama to resolve the Tibet
question through a process of dialogue”,
despite their “differences on substantive
issues”.

It points out that the European Union
adheres to a ‘one China’ policy and also
that the Dalai Lama has consistently
stated “that he is not seeking
independence but a genuine devolved
autonomy for Tibet”.

Parliament then urges the Chinese
government and the Dalai Lama to resume
and continue their dialogue “without preconditions and in a forward-looking manner that allows for pragmatic solutions which respect the territorial integrity of China and fulfil the aspirations of the
Tibetan people”.

While it “welcomes the laws and
regulations on regional ethnic autonomy”
adopted by the Chinese government, Parliament is “concerned that many of these laws contain conditions that impede
or undermine their implementation”.

An EU Special Representative for Tibet?

The Council, Commission and Member
States of the EU are asked “to actively
 support the strengthening of the dialogue
and, in the absence of tangible results on
substantive issues and in consultation with
both parties, assess what further role the
European Union can play to facilitate a
negotiated solution for Tibet, including
through the appointment of an EU Special
Representative for Tibet”, a suggestion
Parliament has made before.

Call for Tibet issue to be raised in
cooperation agreement talks with China

MEPs point out that the negotiations on a
new EU-China Partnership and
Cooperation Framework Agreement
officially began on 17 January 2007 in
Beijing. They call on the Commission “to raise the question of Tibet and the resumption of talks between the two sides during the negotiations on the new EU-China Partnership and Cooperation Framework Agreement and report to Parliament on the evolution of the dialogue” between China and Dalai Lama’s envoy in 2007 and thereafter.

In addition, the resolution calls on the
Council Presidency to adopt a Declaration
indicating “how the EU could facilitate
progress towards a peaceful and negotiated solution for Tibet”.  Parliament also requests that the Council’s annual
CFSP report include information on
progress in the dialogue.