Published by: World Tibet Network News Saturday, February 17, 1996

By C. Gerald Fraser

Earth Times News Service

UNITED NATIONS, February 16, 1996 -- In a classic diplomatic brawl ambassadors from the US and China squared off verbally Thursday over the denial of Habitat II accreditation to a nongovernmental organization, the Tibetan Rights Campaign of Seattle, Washington.

The Campaign had been "evaluated" by secretariat of the UN Conference on Human Settlements, Habitat II, and practically assured of the UN seal of approval. Earlier this week, however, the UN issued a document which said the Campaign should be deleted from the list of NGOs eligible for accreditation. In the course of the afternoon debate, the US, which supported the Tibetan group, protested granting accreditation to a Libyan NGO. A decision on the entire accreditation matter was put off until tomorrow by the preparatory committee chair, Martti Lujanen, of Finland.

US Ambassador Victor Marrero told the PrepCom's plenary session Thursday afternoon he was "concerned" that the Tibetan Rights Campaign had been rejected because, he said, it was rejected not accredited last year by the UN Economic and Social Council for women's conference in Beijing last year. He described the Campaign as "an active member of the US Network for Habitat II. A member of the Seattle Host Committee actively involved in US local efforts to prepare for the conference. It was "hard to believe" that the organization was not working hard. He did not know, he said, why accreditation was "recommended and then denied."

China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Xuexian Wang, responded. He was "sad and sorry" to hear the US representative's statement, he said. He accused the Campaign of being "engaged in activities to split China," of "trying to split the territory of a sovereign state," and "advocating independence for Tibet."

Wang inquired about the US views on Tibet and Marrero responded saying the US views on Tibet were not the issue. China contends that Tibet is an integral part of its domain. The representative from Canada, attempting to cool out the discussion, said his government was not in agreement with all decisions but wanted the "objective application of criteria."

On the Libyan NGO, the International Energy Foundation, Marrero said he questioned its "bona fides" and the source of its funding and its activities. He had "credible information that it is a cover for the Libyan government," he said. And he claimed the foundation was involved in a "missile proliferation program."

The consultations on accreditation will also include the Turkey-based Federation of Westtrace Turks in Europe, which was also deleted from the eligibles' list.

Earlier Thursday, NGO representatives at their plenary session said they stood with the preparatory committee on the issue of accreditation. "We don't want to accredit terrorists," said Felix Dodds of England. The NGO members also heard reports on the progress of negotiations on conference documents, continued compiling the names of caucus chairs or contacts for the International Facilitating Group, and promised an comprehensive statement on PrepCom3 Friday.