World Tibet Network News Monday, March 23, 1998

Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1428 gmt 20 Mar 98

Text of report by the Czech news agency CTK

Prague, 20th March: The Senate has approved a resolution condemning the violation of human rights in China and Tibet - an unequivocal and official condemnation of China's systematic imprisonment and torture of Chinese and Tibetan human rights activists.

The Senate resolution approved today calls on the Chinese government to release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in China and Tibet, as well as calling for an end to China's policy aimed at the suppression of the Tibetan people, in particular the policy of mass repopulation of Tibet with Chinese citizens.

The resolution was passed with the help of the low number of senators present. Only 53 senators were present today in the 81-seat Senate, 40 of whom voted in favour of the resolution. None voted against.

The Senate has called on China to begin negotiations immediately with the Dalai Lama on autonomy for Tibet. Some observers believe that this call could lead to the suspicion that the Czech Republic doubts China's territorial integrity.

Senators passed the resolution despite repeated threats from the Chinese embassy warning the Senate to keep out of China's internal affairs - a stock defence of the Chinese government in answering foreign criticism of its human rights record.