Olivia Mitchell
Question:10 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to revisit China. [12404/98]
Written Answers. - Official Engagements.
Trevor Sargent
Question:20 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will extend an invitation to the Dalai Lama to visit this country; and, if so, if he will meet with him if he accepts. [10965/98]
John Gormley
Question:24 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he intends to visit China as reported in the media; and if he will consider postponing his visit until the Chinese Government agrees to negotiate with the Dalai Lama or his representatives. [10964/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 20 and 24 together.
Deputies will be aware that I visited China from 23 to 28 February of this year and that I had useful and productive meetings with the then Prime Minister and the then Foreign Minister, among others. I have no plans at present for a return visit to China in the near future.
In the course of his meeting with Chinese premier Zhu Rongji at the ASEM summit in London last month an invitation was extended to the Taoiseach to visit China before the end of this year. The Taoiseach accepted this invitation and discussions are currently taking place at official level to determine if it might be possible to undertake the proposed visit this coming September.
It is current Government policy that the question of human rights in China, including Tibet, should be raised with the Chinese authorities on every appropriate occasion. This policy was followed by me during my meeting in Beijing last February with the then Chinese Foreign Minister, Qian Qichen. On that occasion, I also urged the Chinese Government to engage in direct negotiations with the Dalai Lama. It would not be appropriate, however, for the Taoiseach to delay or postpone his visit to China until such time as the desired talks between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese authorities had commenced. Indeed, I believe that the cause of the Dalai Lama and of the Tibetan people would be best served if the Taoiseach were to proceed with his visit to Beijing, using the opportunity to make known our concerns on a number of issues.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is of course always welcome to visit this country as he has done in the past. The Government continues to hold both the person and the office of the Dalai Lama in the highest regard. The question of whether the Taoiseach or other members of the Government would be able to meet him were he to come here again could only be decided at the time of such a visit.