Media Advisory Contact: Mary Beth Markey

November 4, 1997 Bhuchung Tsering

202-785 1515

INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET

The newly-appointed Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the State Department, Mr. Gregory Craig, will make his first public appearance after assuming office when he testifies at a House Hearing on November 6.

The House International Relations Committee will hold a full committee hearing on the "Status of Negotiations" between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese leadership on Tibet. Special Coordinator Craig will present the Administration's position. International Campaign for Tibet's President Lodi Gyari, who is also the Special Envoy of the Dalai Lama, will present the Tibetan leadership's position on the situation. Other panelists include Prof. Edward Luttwak and Prof. Elliot Sperling of Indiana University.

This Hearing is timely coming soon after Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States. During this visit, President Clinton raised the Tibetan issue and urged President Jiang to respond to the Dalai Lama's initiative for negotiations without preconditions. President Jiang, however, demanded that the Dalai Lama publicly acknowledge that Tibet is an inalienable part of China before talks could begin.

Date: November 6, 1997

Time: 10 am

Venue: 2172 Rayburn House Office Building