Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 5

Written Answers. - Dalai Lama's Representative.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

24 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason he declined to meet the Dalai Lama's representative for the UK and Ireland, Mrs. Kesang Takla; and whether he still recognises that Tibet is an independent country under illegal occupation by China.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foriegn Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Mrs. Takla has been informed that the officials in my Department dealing with Asian affairs would be happy to receive her if and when she visits Ireland in her capacity as representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is normal diplomatic practice.

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 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.

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, as to 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.