Paris, September 8. Reuter reports from Paris: French authorities have banned demonstrations throughout France due to a 5 day state visit by Chinese President Jiang Zemin who arrived in the southern port of Marseille. He was due to fly on Friday (9th), where pro-democracy activists planned to demonstrate against China's rule of Tibet and repression of political opponents. Human right activists denounced the ban, saying Paris had bowed to pressure and threatened to defy police orders and hold a rally near the Chinese embassy. Gerard Fuchs, the opposition Socialist Party's National Secretary for International Relations, said: "This decision is unworthy of France and well shows the attitude of the government toward the values of the republic". Its the first time that a western country has banned a demonstration of Chinese pro-democracy activists," said Cai Chong-guo, spokesman for the Federation for Democracy in China. "In future, the Chinese government will despise the French government even more for its lack

of dignity." The Committee to Save Tibetan People and Culture in their statement said, France, "the country of human rights," of importing "the methods of repression prevalent" in China. "Freedom of expression itself is now being threatened in France." President Francois Mitterrand said at the time (Tiananman crackdown) that "a regime which has its youth shot has no future."

September, 11. Reports AP correspondent from Bordeaux: On the fourth day of Jiang Zemin's state visit, he was greeted by demonstrators at both ends of the train ride between Paris and Boreaux. Protestors were detained by police almost daily since Jiang arrived in France, but succumbing to pressure, it allowed a demonstration on Friday near the Chinese Embassy condemning repression in China and the Chinese occupation of Tibet. After riding the TGV high-speed train to Bordeaux, Jiang and his 200 member delegation toured the nuclear plant 40 miles northwest of Boreaux and visited an Airbus plant in Toulouse. French relaxed ban on China protest, but 18 people carrying either tibetan flags or with a banner saying "Tiananmen 4th June 1989 were detained by police. 300 people from Chinese pro-democracy organisations and Tibet Support groups, the Federation for democracy in China and the Tibetan Community in France took part in the protest on Friday night and a pro-Tibet demonstration also took place in Bourdeaux on

Sunday, but only after Jiang had left the town. Groups that urged Mitterrand to discuss human rights include the New York based Human Rights in China and Reporters Without Borders based in Montpelier, France. After Jiang's departure, the legality of last week's decree is due to be tested in the French courts, at the request of the Tibetan Community in France. (EuroTibet News N·2)