World Tibet Network News Tuesday, March 03, 1998

SYDNEY, March 3 (AFP) - China issued a stern warning to Australia Tuesday after an unopposed motion in the senate for Canberra to establish a special coordinator to monitor human rights in Tibet.

In a letter to the president of the Australian senate, Margaret Reid, China's Ambassador to Canberra, Hua Junduo, described the successful motion moved by Green Party Senator Bob Brown as "most regrettable".

"We cannot but express our displeasure over the matter," Hua said in the letter.

"Tibetan affairs are purely China's internal affairs which brook no interference in whatever form by foreign countries.

"Any appointment of the so-called Australian Special Coordinator for Tibet is entirely unacceptable to China."

Hua said China hoped the Australian senate would cease interfering in its internal affairs "so as to avoid harming the friendly relations between China and Australia".

Brown's motion followed an appointment by the United States of a Special Coordinator on Tibet in October last year to monitor human rights in the Chinese-occupied province.

Despite the motion's success in the senate it's unlikely to pass into law. After being drafted as legislation, the bill will be sent to the lower house of parliament where it will almost certainly be defeated by the government, which holds a majority.

Australian governments have recognised Tibet as part of China since 1972 but have held official meetings with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, on his three previous visits here in 1982, 1992 and 1996.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer Tuesday ruled out the appointment of an Australian coordinator.

"We believe the existing mechanisms, including bilateral human rights dialogue, are more than adequate in engaging the Chinese government on issues like Tibet," a spokesman for Downer told AFP.

"The Chinese government knows Australia's position and they are content with that. Hua Junduo's letter was for the senate, not Mr Downer."

Australia has long had strained bilateral ties with China, although they have improved since Prime Minister John Howard embarked on a week-long mission to Beijing a year ago.