Vol. 428 No. 1
85 Mr. Molloy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position Ireland has adopted internationally in relation to Tibet and the use of force by the People's Republic of China to repress the movement there for greater autonomy.
In 1979, when Ireland established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, the Irish Government recognised the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Diplomatic relations are conducted with China on that basis. At that time, Tibet was recognised internationally as part of the People's Republic. That situation remains unchanged.
Nevertheless, a central concern of the Government's policy on Tibet remains the respect and protection of the human rights of Tibetans. Ireland's concerns, and those of our partners in the Community, at the human rights situation in Tibet have been and will continue to be brought to the attention of the Chinese authorities. As recently as 1 March at the annual session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, the EC Presidency on behalf of the member states of the Community noted that we were particularly concerned about measures which threaten the distinct cultural, religious and ethnic identity of persons belonging to minorities, and about the situation in Tibet, the persecution of religious believers, and the imprisonment of people for expressing their political beliefs.
