Published by: World Tibet Network News Tuesday, September 16, 1997

Tuesday September 16 5:03 AM EDT

LONDON (Reuter) - British pop stars Tuesday called on China to release

Tibetan music scholar Ngawang Choephel, jailed for 18 years for spying.

The musicians, including Sir Paul McCartney, Sting and David Bowie, signed a petition marking the second anniversary of his arrest.

"President Jiang Zemin has an opportunity to generate more goodwill by releasing Ngawang Choephel before his summit with President Clinton next month," said Alison Reynolds, Director of the Free Tibet Campaign.

"The Chinese showed last week a certain willingness to gain approval by releasing Tibetan prisoners before international meetings," she said in a statement.

China granted early releases to 111 prisoners, some jailed for counter-revolutionary and separatist crimes.