Dharamsala, September 12 – The European Parliament Tibet Intergroup, in conjunction with EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee and China Delegation has announced that the European Parliament Forum on Tibet: European Union’s Response to Sino-Tibetan Dialogue will be held at the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday 12 November 2003, at 3.00pm.
A statement issued today by Mr. Thomas Mann, President EP Tibet Intergroup, said that the Tibet Forum forms part of the European Parliament’s ongoing efforts to shine a spotlight on the appalling political and human rights situation in Tibet.
“It aims to see that the renewed contact between the Dalai Lama’s envoys and China continues, and that substantive dialogue between these parties leads to a negotiated agreement on Tibet”, it said.
The Tibet Forum’s objectives are three-fold. First, in light of the renewed contact between the two parties, the Forum will identify various steps the EU can take to bring the Chinese and Tibetans closer in finding a solution to the Tibetan problem and to help advance the dialogue process. Secondly, it will highlight that the EU can make an effective contribution to the process by immediately appointing a European Special Representative for Tibet.
Thirdly, the Forum will send a strong message to the Chinese government that the international community remains concerned about Tibet and committed to the dialogue process.
“The European Parliament Forum on Tibet is being organised by the EP’s Tibet Intergroup in conjunction with the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, and the EP China Delegation. It is supported by the Office of Tibet, Brussels and the International Campaign for Tibet Europe”, the statement further said.
