Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 22:42:52 +0100

From: Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain - France

To: Multiple recipients of list TSG-L (Tibet Support Group List)

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COMMUNIQUE

sent to various press agencies in France

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--------- free translation ----------

The CSPT is wishing that the death of Deng XiaoPing at 92 should be the opportunity for the people and the government of China to operate deep and peaceful changes towards democracy and respect of peoples' rights. It specifically wishes that His Holiness' propositions on negotiation leading to a peaceful resolution of the Tibetan issue should be at last accepted.

The CSPT thinks that the role of the Democratic countries, and particularly the French government, is to give a strong help to the opening of such negotiations, and to encourage a processus of self determination in Tibet, in the common interest of the Tibetan and the Chinese peoples.