Published by: World Tibet Network News, Tuesday, August 15, 1996

By Veronica Brooks of AAP

MELBOURNE, Aug 15 AAP - The Australian government should ensure the Dalai Lama is treated simply as a religious leader during his forthcoming visit, a former Australian ambassador to China said today.

The government should be cautious in the access it gives the Tibetan spiritual leader and should not compromise Australia's position that Tibet is a part of China, said Michael Lightowler, ambassador in Beijing from 1991 to 1995.

"I would advise the government ... to ensure that the visit is portrayed as a visit by a religious leader," Mr Lightowler said. "I think also I'd be advising the government to think very carefully about the levels at which the Dalai Lama were accepted.

"And I'd be advising the Australia government, and I'm sure it will do this, to reiterate its well known position that it acknowledges that Tibet is part of China.

"I would imagine that the Chinese government will be keeping a very close eye on that visit and how it is handled."

Yesterday China renewed its strong protests over the Dalai Lama's visit next month and a likely meeting with Prime Minister John Howard.

In a statement, its embassy in Canberra said China hoped the government would refrain from official contact with the Tibetan leader "so that our bilateral relations would not be damaged".

Chinese officials this week also raised concerns with Australia over Primary Industries Minister John Anderson's forthcoming visit to Taiwan, cuts to Australia's foreign aid, and Australia's strengthened military ties with the US.

On the issue of Mr Anderson's visit, Mr Lightowler said Australian ministerial visits to Taiwan had been undertaken over the past few years and were done in a private, commercial capacity.

"Australia continues to adhere firmly to its one-China policy," he said. On China's human rights record, Mr Lightowler said public attacks on Beijing were fruitless.

"The way to deal with them is not through a loud speaker ... they need to be dealt with in a direct way with the Chinese.

"I think that bilateral approach to dealing with the issue is the way to go."

Mr Lightowler told an Australian Institute of International Affairs lunch that Australia's relationship with China should match its relations with the United States and Japan.

He said the task would not be a simple one but was essential if Australia was to capitalise on China's growing economic and security prowess.

"Central to the management of our relationship with China during the next quarter of a century will be the need to develop a breadth of relationship similar to that which we now have with the United States and Japan," he said.

"The reasons for this are two-fold: China's growing economic strength and its increasing significance as a key player in global and regional security.

"It will not be a simple task, given Australia and China's different backgrounds, political systems and priorities.

"But it is one which must exercise the minds of government, the business community, academics and the media as we approach the 21st Century."