Text of report by Helmut Opletal in Beijing, including recorded statement by Austrian President Thomas Klestil, Broadcast by Austrian radio

[Opletal] President Klestil's meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, who is also chairman of China's Communist Party, went on much longer than scheduled. The discussion with their closest advisers took 45 instead of the usual 15 minutes. Afterward, Klestil briefed correspondents on the issues he had addressed during the meeting.

[Klestil] I addressed all the issues on which we hold different views. Questions of human rights, of minorities, whereby we discussed Tibet openly. We also discussed nuclear tests. I explained the Austrian people's position on nuclear energy'. I said that we protested against the French tests and that we also have to condemn the Chinese tests. But I added that we realize that China has emphasized its will to join the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996, urging Jiang to renounce nuclear tests earlier.

We also discussed Tibet, with justifications and counter-arguments, stating what Tibetans have told us. I mentioned the Dalai Lama's visit to Graz and told Jiang Zemin that the mayor of Graz has adopted three imprisoned monks and that our ambassador will submit the three names, asking for the three monks to be released. As far as human rights are concerned, I referred to the Human Rights Conference in Vienna, which concluded that human rights are universal, and said that, therefore, stating one's own point of view on this matter cannot be understood as interfering into internal affairs. I referred to political prisoners, welcoming the fact that some of them have already been released and expressing hope that this policy will continue.

[Opletal] Klestil said that the Chinese host was apparently prepared for such critical statements and that the answers were what he had expected. Jiang pointed out that China is the smallest among the nuclear powers and does not want to use its nuclear weapons to attack. Freedom of religion in Tibet is. safeguarded, and China does not want an excessive proportion of Chinese immigrants in Tibet. But Tibet has always been an inseparable part of the Chinese empire, Jiang Zemin said. Apart from these issues, international topics were discussed. Klestil called China one of the potential world powers in the 21st century. That is why relations with China are of great importance, Klestil said.

Source; Oesterreich--1 radio, Vienna, in German 1000 gmt 18 Sep 95