Swiss shield China's PM from protests during visit

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Associated Press
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BERN, Switzerland (AP) — Switzerland restricted media and public access around the Federal Palace during a visit by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Tuesday in an effort to shield him from potential protesters and awkward questions.

The square and streets leading to the Federal Palace in the capital, Bern, were being sealed off completely by police, the Federal Chancellery said.

Employees in the building and adjacent houses were advised to keep all windows and balcony doors leading to the main square closed, it said. The public in general and photographers in particular were ordered to stay away from balconies and rooftops.

Heightened security for major state visits is not unusual in Switzerland. But the restrictions on media and public access appeared aimed at preventing a repeat of events 10 years ago when then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin was angered by Tibetan protesters who had gathered on the government square and the roof of an adjacent building.

"Don't you have the capacity to lead this country," Jiang Zemin asked the Swiss government after being greeted by protests.

"You have lost a good friend," he told Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss, who had openly spoken about the human rights situation in China.

Wen's visit Tuesday was to focus on economic relations between the two countries, the Federal Chancellery said.

The Chinese premier would take no questions from the media after delivering a brief statement following the talks, it said.

Later this week, Wen plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, where officials have authorized a small demonstration by Tibetan groups on Wednesday.

Phuntsok Gangshontsang, a spokesman for the Community of Tibetans in Switzerland, said he expected about 100 people to protest human rights abuses in Tibet and call for greater freedom in the Chinese-ruled region.