Tibetan Hunger Strikers

HL Deb 05 May 1998 vol 589 c66WA

Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, as holders of the Presidency of the European Union, they will issue a statement concerning the demands of the six Tibetan hunger strikers in New Delhi, as the United Nations Secretary-General's spokesperson and the High Commissioner for Human Rights have done recently. [HL1574]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

As Presidency we issued a statement on behalf of the European Union on 24 April 1998 appealing to the Tibetan hunger strikers to call off their fast. We take every opportunity to raise our concerns about Tibet with the Chinese authorities. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister last did so himself when he met the Chinese Premier on 2 April. In view of the EU's special concerns about Tibet, a delegation of EU Ambassadors in Beijing are visiting Tibet from 1 to 10 May in order to make an assessment of the situation there.