Published by: World Tibet Network News, Satureday, May 5, 1996

UNITED NATIONS, May 3 (Reuter) - The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Friday barred three non-governmental organisations opposed by China from attending a U.N. conference on the problems of cities, to be held in Turkey next month.

By a vote of 21 to 15 with 16 abstentions, ECOSOC rejected accreditation of the U.S.-based Tibetan Rights Campaign.

On the recommendation of the secretariat of the forthcoming conference, ECOSOC also rejected, without a vote, the accreditation of the Taiwan International Alliance and the Canada Tibet Committee.

The conference, called Habitat II, is to be held in Istanbul from June 3 to 14.

China opposes the Tibetan Rights Campaign as aimed at splitting off Tibet from China. It also rejects any involvement in U.N. affairs by Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade Chinese province.