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Canada-inspired Tibet initiative fostering worldwide
support
News Release: The Office of the Hon. Sen. Consiglio Di Nino, Member of
the Senate, Canada (March 5, 2007)
Ottawa - Motions in both the House of Commons and the Senate of Canada
calling on China to grant autonomous status to Tibet are fostering a
groundswell of international parliamentary support ahead of the March 10
anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising of 1959.
The motions are part of an international initiative by the Canadian
Parliamentary Friends of Tibet (PFT) to encourage legislators from
around the world to urge China to reach a final and lasting agreement
with the Dalai Lama. In the coming days and weeks, parliamentarians from
countries in Asia, Europe, and the Americas representing hundreds of
millions of citizens will deliver a message to Beijing through motions,
resolutions, hearings, statements and other measures expressing
unequivocal support for a just settlement.
On February 15, the European Parliament, representing 27 countries,
passed a comprehensive resolution on the Chinese-Tibetan dialogue. It
calls on the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and individual
member states to collaborate with other countries to further the
dialogue. In the absence of tangible results, it urges consideration
of the appointment of an EU Special Representative for Tibet.
On the same day, the following motion was adopted unanimously by the
House of Commons:
That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: urge the
Government of the People's Republic of China and the representatives of
Tibet's government in exile, notwithstanding their differences on
Tibet's historical relationship with China, to continue their dialogue
in a forward-looking manner that will lead to pragmatic solutions that
respect the Chinese constitutional framework, the territorial integrity
of China and fulfill the aspirations of the Tibetan people for a unified
and genuinely autonomous Tibet.
Tom Lantos, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on
Foreign Relations, hailed the Canadian initiative and noted that the
Committees first hearing on China would be devoted to the Tibetan
issue. It will, he said, signal to Beijing the seriousness of our
resolve.
According to Senator Di Nino, co-chair of the PFT, it has been long
overdue for Chinas leadership to finally show some flexibility and to
put aside any preconditions on talks, including their continued
insistence that the Dalai Lama acknowledge that Tibet has always been
part of China. A review of that proposition will serve only to revive an
unflattering record of hardship and pain.
In a statement last March 10th, the Dalai Lama said I have stated time
and again that I do not wish to seek Tibet's separation from China. He
added, however, that a positive atmosphere cannot be created by one
side alone. The Dalai Lama has annually issued a public statement every
March 10th.
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