World Tibet Network News Saturday, June 20, 1998

WASHINGTON, June 18 (AFP) - President Bill Clinton named a Christian leader Thursday to monitor international religious freedom for the State Department, and vowed to make religious rights an issue on his visit to China.

Clinton named Robert Seiple, president of a Christian humanitarian group called World Vision, to the new post of senior advisor to the secretary of state for international religious freedom.

The creation of the post came just one week before Clinton travels to China, which has been criticized here for limiting religious freedom.

"I will speak to them (the Chinese) as clearly as I can about human rights and religious freedom," Clinton told religious leaders who traveled through China to observe religious practice there.

Evangelical Reverend Don Argue, Roman Catholic Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, Rabbi Arthur Schneier gave Clinton a report on their trip and the president said he would keep their findings in mind during his own visit.

While he welcomed the release in China of some religious figures, Clinton said, "Chinese Christians, Muslims and Buddhists remain imprisoned for their religious activities, including in Tibet, and other believers face harassment."

"We believe that China should resume talks with the Dalai Lama. We believe that prisoners of conscience should be released," he said.