China scraps summit with EU over Dalai Lama visit

Thursday, November 27, 2008
AFP
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BRUSSELS (AFP) — China scrapped Wednesday a summit with the European Union scheduled for next week in protest at plans by EU leaders to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy) with the Dalai Lama during his visit to France in August 2008 (AFP/File)

The spectacular diplomatic snub appeared to target French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency until the end of the year, who is due to meet the Dalai Lama in 10 days.

"The Chinese authorities have informed the European Union of their decision to request the postponement of the 11th European Union-China summit, scheduled to take place on December 1," an EU statement said.

"They said their decision was due to the fact that the Dalai Lama will at the same time undertake a new visit in several countries of the Union and will meet on this occasion heads of state and government."

China's official Xinhua news agency, quoting foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang, said the decision was taken because the summit could not achieve its expected goals.

The spokesman said the Chinese government and people were extremely unhappy at Sarkozy's plan to meet the exiled Tibetan spiritual after the China-EU summit.

"The Tibet issue is related to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and it touches China's interests at the core. We firmly oppose the Dalai Lama's separatist activities in foreign countries with any capacity, and firmly oppose the contact between foreign leaders with him in any form," Qin said.

On November 14, China hit out at Sarkozy's planned meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader in Poland on December 6, warning that it could hurt relations between the two countries.

The 73-year-old Buddhist leader is also due to visit the Czech Republic and Belgium, where he is scheduled to address the European Parliament in Brussels on December 4.

The EU statement said the bloc "takes note and regrets this decision by China."

It said the EU planned to continue to "promote the strategic partnership it has with China, particularly at a time when the world economic and financial situation calls for close cooperation between Europe and China."

Xinhua quoted Qin as saying that in a bid to maintain good relations with France and the EU, China had told France many times to handle the Tibet issue properly in order to create the necessary conditions for the summit.

But Qin said France, which holds the EU's rotating presidency until the end of the year, had not actively responded to China's efforts to maintain ties with France and the EU, according to Xinhua.

The Dalai Lama and Sarkozy are to attend ceremonies in Poland to mark the 25th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace prize to Lech Walesa, the anti-communist union activist who became Polish president.

The Buddhist leader was also awarded the prestigious prize in 1989.

No new date has been set for the summit, which was to be held in the eastern French city of Lyon. The meetings usually take place annually and alternate between a venue in China and Europe.

A French government spokesman said in reaction to Beijing's snub that Sarkozy "is free to plan his own agenda".

A spokeswoman for the French EU presidency said: "The ball is in China's court. It took the responsibility of postponing this summit. The door remains open, as far as we are concerned."

China and France went through a rough patch earlier this year when Sarkozy said his attendance at the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony was conditional on progress in talks between Beijing and Dalai Lama envoys on the future of Tibet.

He did attend the ceremony, but later declined to meet the Dalai Lama after Beijing warned that such direct contact would have serious consequences for bilateral relations.

Protesters also disrupted the passage of the Olympic flame in several cities -- including Paris -- following unrest in Tibet, which further damaged relations between China and France, although these have since improved.

The Dalai Lama has sought "meaningful autonomy" for Tibet since he fled his homeland following a failed uprising in 1959 against Chinese rule, nine years after Chinese troops invaded the region.

China claims he actually seeks full independence.

Francois Godement, an expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said that the "spectacular" move showed that Beijing "treats the Europeans like China's neighbours" by "putting pressure on them".

And on the European side, he said, "there is total disunity over Tibet, and the Chinese are perfectly aware of this."