The official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, has published a harsh blast of anti-Dalai Lama rhetoric on its English language website (1) on the eve of the seventh round of dialogue (2) between envoys of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government. The talks are due to take place on July 1 and 2 at an undisclosed location in Beijing.

The tone of the rhetoric in Xinhua clearly suggests that the Chinese government remains insincere in its approach to talks and that it is still unwilling to engage in a substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s envoys.

Free Tibet Campaign is appealing to the UK and other governments not to rush to endorse this round of talks. Acting director Anne Holmes said: “It does not bode well for resolving the ongoing crisis in Tibet when Chinese state media is spewing such poisonous anti-Dalai Lama rhetoric on the eve of negotiations.”

Free Tibet Campaign is calling on the US and EU governments to hold fast to the line they took following last month’s summit in Slovenia during which they called on the Chinese government to conduct “substantive, constructive and results-orientated” dialogue with the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Anne Holmes said: “World leaders must demonstrate their commitment to ‘results-orientated’ dialogue by pressing the Chinese authorities for transparency and by setting benchmarks against which results can be measured.”

Free Tibet Campaign and other Tibet groups in North America and Australia have written to their respective governments arguing for the adoption of the following measures in order to strengthen the Sino-Tibet dialogue and make it more substantive.

*The appointment of a third party negotiator (such as Marti Ahtisaari, who recently completed a similar role in Kosovo),

*Agreement on a neutral venue (as Free Tibet Campaign pointed out to Prime Minister Brown, Oslo, home of the Nobel Peace Prize, would be an obvious venue),

*Provision of full debriefings to press and other observers about the progress (if any) of the talks, and

*The establishment of a contact group such as the one formed in response to the Bosnian crisis in the early 1990s. This contact group would monitor talks, provide expertise and advice, offer a “sounding board” to either side as required and assist the third party negotiator in resolving any issues between parties.

Ends

For more information, contact Matt Whitticase on +44 (0)20 7324 4605 or +44 (0)7515 788 456 or Anne Holmes on +44 (0)7798 666 658.

Notes to Editor:

(1) The Xinhua articles (also pasted below in their entirety) can be viewed at http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/29/content_8457542_3.htm

(2) Six rounds of negotiations between envoys of the Dalai Lama and officials from the United Front Work Department took place between 2002 and 2007. The last round took place in Shanghai at the end of June 2007. The present round of talks is the seventh round.

XINHUA ARTICLES:

Don't talk to the double-dealing Dalai Lama!

By Hong Jie

The flunky Dalai Lama has been causing troubles for China for years with the aids of foreign elements and forces. What's more, he never stops threatening us from the beginning of this Olympic year.

Ever since China's Wenchuan earthquake struck on May 12, the international community has paid little attention to him, so he started to stir up troubles in different places in the world. Recently, Dalai Lama even said that Tawang, the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama, a territory that should belong to China, isIndian territory.

He is a traitor of Tibet and wants to sell Tibetan land to get supports from foreign forces. He thought that Beijing is worried that the Tibetan issue will ruin the summer Olympic Games. But he's wrong! It's joking that China will be afraid of his activities. He assumes that he is doing the wise thing, but in the end he and his followers will attain nil. Why? It's very obvious that he's against Chinese Central Government. His so-called "Greater Tibet" and "high-degree autonomy for Tibet" are just other guises for Tibetan independence which he has been seeking.

The current Chinese government is polite to him. If he lived in the Ming or Qing Dynasty, the then government would not talk to him but rather assign a general to destroy his force. Why should we give such a flunky a chance to negotiate with our government? He even attacks China when our nation is in difficulty!
    

Dalai is the main manipulator of violent and non-violent affairs

By Hong Jie

Dalai always claims that he is committed to non-violence. During an interview with German "Der Spiegel" on May 6th this year, he said that he is committed to non-violence during his life, and he will do so in the future. How dare does he say so? Doesn't he think that the armed rebellion in Tibet in 1959 is violent? Doesn't he think that the rebel organization named "four rivers and six ranges", harassed people in Sino-Nepal border, is violent? Didn't these affairs happen in his life? Or didn't he lead these rebellions? He shouldn't be a dotard because he gave speeches in several countries these years. If he's not dull, it's obviously that he doesn't want to admit that the 1959 armed rebellion in Tibet and the harassing behaviors of "four rivers and six ranges" are violent. He even claimed the Lhasa 3.14 riot is a "peaceful protest".

In an interview with AFP on May 23rd this year, Dalai said that if no agreement would be gotten with Chinese government, the protest would happen again, and would be violent. He thought more serious violence would occur as well. If Dalai doesn't think 1959 armed rebellion in Tibet, the harassing behaviors of "four rivers and six ranges" and the Lhasa 3.14 riot are violent, then the "violence" mentioned by him must be much more severe.

Dalai always says he has nothing to do with violence and has no control over mob. However, in an interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun on May 25th this year, he said that if Beijing accepts his proposal of Tibet, he promises no violence will be seen in the future. His words prove that he can make the affair be violent or not. His purpose is ask Chinese central government to talk with him and accept his requirements, otherwise, he will stir up troubles and even sacrifice innocent lives.