World Tibet Network News Wednesday, February 04, 1998

BELGRADE, Feb 3 (Reuters) - China protested on Tuesday over the film "Seven Years in Tibet" after a screening in Belgrade, branding it anew as American propaganda distorting facts, the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug reported.

What bothers China is the "distortion of facts" in the film, Chinese cultural attache to Belgrade Liu Yonghong told reporters.

China has protested elsewhere in the world where the film has been shown.

The film was screened at the Belgrade international film festival Fest98 on Tuesday evening.

The film, based on a book by Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer who spent seven years in Tibet during World War Two befriending its religious leader, the Dalai Lama, is directed by Jean Jacques Annaud and stars Brad Pitt.

China, which invaded in 1950, claims Tibet as part of its territory since the ninth century.

The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile and has won a Nobel peace prize, had proposed that China give Tibet autonomy while keeping control over foreign policy and armed forces.

China slammed the author of the film as being ignorant of Tibet.

"The film depicts the Chinese army as an occupying force which is a propaganda ploy since Tibet is an integral part of China since the ninth century," Liu said.