Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday, Jun 16, 1996

13-Jun-96 - Voice of America .

BYLINE=GIL BUTLER

DATELINE=BEIJING

INTRO: CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAVE TAKEN ACTION AGAINST THE BEIJING OFFICE OF A GERMAN FOUNDATION THAT IS SPONSORING A CONFERENCE ON TIBET IN GERMANY. THE NAUMANN FOUNDATION WAS TOLD TO STOP ALL ACTIVITIES IN CHINA. VOA'S GIL BUTLER HAS A REPORT FROM BEIJING.

TEXT: ONE DAY BEFORE THE NAUMANN FOUNDATION IS SCHEDULED TO HOLD AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TIBET IN BONN, CHINESE AUTHORITIES SUSPENDED THE FOUNDATION'S CHINA ACTIVITIES.

CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SHEN GUOFANG SAID THE TIBETAN ISSUE IS CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR. HE SAID BECAUSE THE NAUMANN FOUNDATION SUPPORTS WHAT CHINA CALLS THE "SPLITTIST ACTIVITIES" OF THE EXILED DALAI LAMA, IT IS INTERFERING IN CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

MR. SHEN SAID THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR WAS CALLED TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY TO HEAR CHINA'S CONCERN ABOUT THE FOUR DAY BONN CONFERENCE OF TIBETAN SUPPORT GROUPS. THE SPOKESMAN SAID CHINA HOPES THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE ACTION TO PREVENT PEOPLE IN GERMANY DOING THINGS THAT INTERFERE IN CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

THE NAUMANN FOUNDATION IS CLOSELY AFFILIATED WITH GERMANY'S FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY -- THE PARTY OF FOREIGN MINISTRY KLAUS KINKEL WHO IS SCHEDULED TO MAKE A VISIT TO CHINA ON JULY 11TH.

// OPT // THE FOUNDATION'S CHINA ACTIVITIES HAD INCLUDED TRAINING FOR LOCAL CHINESE OFFICIALS ON THE ROLE OF THE STATE IN A MARKET ECONOMY, TRAINING STATISTICAL BUREAU PERSONNEL IN ANALYSIS, AND HOLDING DIALOGUES WITH SCIENTISTS AND JOURNALISTS ABOUT SOCIETY AND THE RULE OF LAW AND GERMANY'S EXPERIENCE IN REUNIFICATION OF EAST AND WEST. // END OPT // (SIGNED)