DATE=4/6/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S / TIBET (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261032
BYLINE=JON TKACH
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  The United States' coordinator for Tibetan 
issues says Beijing is "stonewalling" her efforts to 
open talks between China and Tibet's exiled religious 
leaders.  State Department official Julia Taft told 
members of Congress Thursday that China has repeatedly 
rejected her requests for meetings.  V-O-A's Jon Tkach 
reports.

TEXT:  Ms. Taft says she had reason to hope for 
progress on Tibet following the 1998 summit between 
President Clinton and his Chinese counterpart, Jiang 
Zemin.  But since then, she says, Beijing has thwarted 
all efforts to get talks going between the Dalai Lama 
and the Chinese leadership.  However, she promises 
that U-S leaders will not let the issue go away.

                  /// TAFT ACT ///

      We've made no progress, but at every single 
      bilateral meeting, every trip that any official 
      takes to China it is on the agenda.  It is 
      discussed.

                  /// END ACT ///

Chinese officials have repeatedly insisted that the 
Dalai Lama wants independence for Tibet.  China says 
the Tibetan people are happy under the current system.

Lodi Gyari is a special envoy for the Dalai Lama, who 
left Tibet for exile in India nine years after Chinese 
troops took control of the region (in 1950).  He says 
the Tibetan Buddhist leader is willing to settle for 
limited autonomy within the Chinese state, and that he 
is not advocating complete Tibetan independence.  

But Mr. Gyari says Chinese officials have adopted a 
"hard-line stance," and continue to reject talks.  He 
is urging U-S lawmakers to help pressure Beijing on 
the issue, and says that Chinese authorities are 
stepping up their campaign against opposition in 
Tibet.

The Dalai Lama's adviser thanked the U-S government 
for drawing attention to the situation in Tibet, but 
he says support from the Clinton administration has at 
times been spotty.

                  /// GYARI ACT ///

      There have been times I think it has dragged its 
      feet.  I think it has not been consistent, and I 
      think this is something that the Chinese have 
      always taken full advantage of -- be it on 
      trade, be it on human rights or on any number of 
      bilateral relations.

                  /// END ACT ///

Mr. Gyari says President Clinton has not been vocal 
enough in supporting a U-S sponsored resolution at the 
U-N Human Rights Commission that condemns China's 
record.  Many delegates, he says, are skeptical of the 
resolution, viewing it as merely a ploy to win 
Congressional approval for permanent normal trade 
relations with China.   (Signed)

NEB/JON/WTW



06-Apr-2000 17:17 PM EDT (06-Apr-2000 2117 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.