Vol. 430 No. 4
12 Ms. Keogh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent allegations of widespread abuses by the Peoples Republic of China on human rights in Tibet; the steps, if any, Ireland has taken to investigate these allegations; and if he will make representations to the Chinese Government regarding this matter.
I am aware from a variety of sources, including reports from Amnesty International, Asia Watch and the European Parliament, of allegations of human rights abuses in Tibet.
Our concerns about human rights in Tibet, and those of our partners in the Community, 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, expressed the particular concern of the Twelve about the situation in Tibet, including measures which threaten the distinct cultural, religious and ethnic identity of persons belonging to minorities, the persecution of religious believers, and the imprisonment of people for expressing their political beliefts.
Will the Minister of State indicate whether Ireland has qualified or withdrawn from its position, outlined in the 1959 UN Resolution, on the right of the Tibetan people to autonomy? Will he also indicate whether, in addition to the representation made at European level, his Department has been in contact with the Chinese Embassy in Dublin to express the same views?
In 1979, when Ireland established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China the Government recognised it as the sole legal Government of China and diplomatic relations with China are conducted on that basis. At that time Tibet was recognised internationally as part of the People's Republic of China and that remains the position. Nevertheless, the central concern of the Government's policy on Tibet remains the respect and protection of human rights of Tibetans. Ireland's concerns and those of our partners in the Community about human rights in Tibet have been — and will continue to be brought — to the attention of the Chinese authorities.
May I remind the Minister of State that Ireland led the world in supporting the Tibetan's right to self-determination at the United Nations between 1959 and 1965? I trust that the Minister of State is not telling us that there has been a change in Ireland's attitude towards supporting Tibet. Will he convey a request to the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Spring, to change his decision and meet the representative of the Dalai Lama in Ireland? As the Minister of State may recall, when the Dalai Lama visited this country he was met by the President but the Government refused to meet him.
The person to whom the Deputy referred, Mrs. Takla, has been informed by officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs who deal with Asian affairs that they would be happy to receive her if and when she visits Ireland in her capacity as the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is normal diplomatic practice. In response to the Deputy's request, I would be happy to meet Mrs. Takla.
Will the Minister of State agree that our concerns about human rights abuses in Tibet highlight the need to expand and strengthen the role of the United Nations in defending human rights in this area and for some form of international court so that the United Nations would have the right of access to countries such as Tibet to guarantee that human rights are respected? Will he also agree that we should not depend on Amnesty International and other groups, which are doing excellent work, to highlight such issues or on individual countries to make representations to China in relation to human rights abuses? A procedure should be in place at United Nations level which would automatically be put into effect when serious allegations of this kind are made.
As I said earlier, on 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, expressed the particular concern of the Twelve about the situation in Tibet. That is the best way to deal with this issue and we will continue to pursue it with the Chinese authorities. I also said earlier that our concerns and those of our Community partners are regularly brought to the attention of the Chinese authorities. I assure the House that we will continue to raise these issues with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Will the Minister of State clarify the reply he gave earlier to Deputy McDowell in which he seemed to repeat the response given in a written reply recently to Deputy O'Keeffe, that since 1979 Ireland has recognised Tibet as part of the territory of China? Will the Minister of State explain the reason his Department confirmed to the Tibet Support Group in Ireland, in writing, that the agreement did not refer to Tibet or to the extended territory of China? It is their assessment that the occupation of Tibet by China runs contrary to international law. Will the Minister of State clarify these confusing and contradictary statements from the Department?
We have established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and the Government recognise the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China.
And Tibet.
That is the official position. Therefore, diplomatic relations with China are conducted on that basis. At that time Tibet was recognised internationally as part of the People's Republic of China.
Does it follow from what the Minister of State said that Ireland recognises the Government of the People's Republic of China as not merely the de facto the de jure Government of Tibet and has abandoned, in effect, position it adopted at the United Nations between 1959 and 1965 when it was in favour of independance for Tibet?
The most important point is that our ability to raise human rights issues with the Chinese authorities will not be hindered.
I do not think I asked the Minister of State that question.
What I said earlier is relevant; I informed the House that I would be happy to meet Mrs. Takla, the representative of his Holiness the Dalai Lama.
We have touched on a crucial point with regard to the recognition of Tibet. Is the Minister of State confirming or denying Government support for the following Irish sponsored Resolutions at the United Nations: No. 1353 (XIV) of 1959; No. 1723 (XVI) of 1961 and No. 2079 (XX) of 1965 in which the Government accepted the right of the people of Tibet to self-determination and to be independent from China? Is the Government saying that we have changed our policy in relation to those Irish sponsored motions? The Minister of State seems to be saying that we have.
Yes, the position has obviously changed from that in 1979 when we established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. I repeat that our concerns about the human rights problems in Tibet have been and will continue to be brought to the attention of the Chinese authorities.
Why then has the Department in recent times confirmed to the Tibet support group a contrary line? I do not want to accept what I am hearing as final. Will the Minister examine the contradiction in this regard and report back to us in due course?
I would be delighted to receive correspondence the Deputy may have in this regard and have it examined by my officials, who may have made a response to this matter in the past. I will then reply to the Deputy and any other Deputy who is interested in this matter.
