China slams upcoming Sarkozy-Dalai Lama meeting

[Imran Khan]

China slams upcoming Sarkozy-Dalai Lama meeting
Friday, 14 Nov, 2008 | 07:53 PM PST |

File photo: Zhu Weiqun, vice minister in charge of talks with representatives of Dalai Lama, gives a press conference in Beijing. AP

BEIJING: China on Friday sharply criticized a planned meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Dalai Lama, suggesting bilateral relations could face a new setback if it goes ahead.


Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang reaffirmed Beijing's opposition to any form of contact between Tibet's exiled Buddhist leader and foreign heads of government.

‘At present, China's relations with both France and the EU are improving and developing. This hard-earned situation should be cherished,’ Qin said in a statement posted on the ministry's Web site.

‘We urge the French side to proceed from the overall interest of bilateral relations,’ Qin said. France should ‘take China's major concern seriously and properly handle relevant issues so as to contribute to the stable development of China-France and China-EU relations,’ he said.

Sarkozy said Thursday he would hold the long-awaited meeting with the Dalai Lama on Dec. 6 during a visit to Gdansk, Poland.

Beijing this week hardened its uncompromising approach to the Dalai Lama, accusing him and his followers of plotting ethnic cleansing and a return to feudal rule, and blaming him for the lack of progress in successive rounds of informal talks between the sides.

China emphatically rejected every proposal made by the Tibetan side, and on Thursday, Qin dismissed a meeting next week of exiled Tibetans called by the Dalai Lama as meaningless, saying the participants did not represent the views of most Tibetans.

‘Any attempt to plan or be involved in this meeting cannot represent the vast majority of the Tibetan people and their attempt will get nowhere,’ Qin said.
http://www.dawn.net/wps/wcm/connect/...ama-meeting-wk

[Imran Khan]

China warns France over meeting with Dalai Lamasubmitted 11 hours 44 minutes ago
BEIJING (AFP) - China on Friday warned that French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s planned meeting with the Dalai Lama could hurt relations between the two countries.

“Currently relations between China and France, and Europe and China, are in the process of improving and developing, and this situation is the result of hard work. So we should cherish it,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

“We ask France to look at the big picture... pay attention to China’s serious concerns and handle relevant issues properly to promote the stable development of Sino-French and European and Chinese relations.”

Sarkozy is planning to met the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, next month during a visit to Poland. “We resolutely oppose foreign leaders having any form of contact with the Dalai Lama,” Qin said.

China and France relations went through a rough patch this year when Sarkozy said his attendance at the Olympic Games opening ceremony was conditional on progress in talks between Beijing and Dalai Lama envoys on the future of Tibet.

He did attend the ceremony.

Protestors also disrupted the passage of the Olympic flame in several cities ��" including Paris ��" following unrest in Tibet, further damaging relations between China and France, although these have since improved.

The Dalai Lama has sought “meaningful autonomy” for Tibet since he fled his homeland following a failed uprising in 1959 against Chinese rule, nine years after Chinese troops invaded the region.

Meanwhile, the French foreign minister on Friday rejected Beijing’s claim that relations between France and China will suffer if President Nicolas Sarkozy goes ahead with a meeting with the Dalai Lama.

“No, it is not a problem,” Bernard Kouchner told reporters at a Russia-EU summit in Nice
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-ne...ith-Dalai-Lama