APPEAL ON BEHALF OF TIBET by FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS

. Recognizing that, throughout its history and up until the Chinese invasion, Tibet succeeded in retaining its national, cultural and religious specificity distinct from Chinese identity,

. Recalling that prior to the Chinese invasion of 1949 Tibet was recognized de facto by numerous States and that, according to established principles of international law and United Nations resolutions, Tibet constitutes an occupied territory,

. Aware of the invasion and occupation of Tibet by People's Republic of China and the annexing of the provinces of Kham and Amdo to adjacent Chinese provinces, representing one half of the original territory of Tibet,

. Aware also that, as a consequence of the massive transfer of ethnic Chinese to Tibet, Tibetans are already a minority in their own country and that the recent increase in population transfer runs the risk of rapidly bringing about the demise of the Tibetan people,

. Deeply concerned about the systematic violation of fundamental human rights, in particular through forced abortions and the wide-scale sterilization of women, by kidnappings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests, recognized use of torture, etc.,

. Having considered the racial discrimination inflicted on the Tibetans by the Chinese, in particular with respect to equality of access to education, housing, health and employment,

. Having also considered the widespread destruction of the Tibetan cultural heritage, in particular that of religious buildings (6,000 temples destroyed),

. Concerned about the serious attacks against the environment perpetrated in Tibet, the effects of wich are likely to spill over its borders,

. Bearing in mind General Assembly resolutions 1353, 1723 and 2079 and, in particular, the European Parliament resolutions of 13 July and 14 December 1995;

The undersigned Parliamentarians, for these reasons,

1. Appeal to the Government of the People's Republic of China to immediately halt the Chinese population transfer into Tibet which it is encouraging and organizing, and to commence the process of decolonization of Tibet ;

2. Also appeal to the Government of the People's Republic of China to cease violations of human rights and to guarantee the respect of the fundamental human rights of peoples and individuals as defined in the United Nations Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

3. Propose that the mandate of the United Nations Committee on Decolonization be enlarged to cover the question of decolonization of Tibet ;

4. Recognize the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Government-in-exile and Parliament as the true and legetimate representatives of the Tibetan people and request that they be granted observer status at the General Assembly of the United Nations;

5. Invite the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Tibetan Government-in-exile to open negociations with a view to solving the Sino-Tibetan problem through dialogue ;

6. Call upon the French Government and bodies of the European Union to support any and all initiatives in this direction ;

7. Urge the French Government and bodies of the European Union to emphasize to the Chinese authorities the inadmissibility of the on-going oppression of the Tibetan people in the light of the fundamental principles set out in the United Nations Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights ;

8. Request that the question of Tibet be placed on the agendas of forthcoming sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations and the Commission on Human Rights and further request the French Government and bodies of the European Union to work towards this end ;

9. Call upon the French Government and bodies of the European Union to intervene in all relevant international fora and there to do all that may be deemed necessary to bring about the objectives of the present appeal ;

10. Pledge their support for the efforts undertaken by the Dalai Lama to peacefully reinstate political, cultural and religious liberties in Tibet and encourage his continued action in favour of free determination of the Tibetan people ;

11. Remain mindful that one-and-a-half million Tibetans have perished since the Chinese occupation and pledge their unswerving support to the Tibetan people in their struggle, in the scrupulous respect of the principles of non-violence, to preserve their identity and the durability of their culture and religion ;

12. Call upon their honorable parliamentary colleagues to ensure that their respective Parliaments strive, in perfect coordination and single-mindedness, towards evermore efficient preservation of the identity and future of the Tibetan people and, more generally, propagation of the ideals of democracy and fundamental human rights ;

13. Transmit the text of the present appeal to the Dalai Lama, the Government-in-exile and the Tibetan Parliament, the Government of the People's Republic of China, the French Government and the bodies of the European Union, as well as to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.