World Tibet Network News Friday, June 26, 1998

BEIJING, June 26 (AFP) - The US State Department's coordinator for Tibet, Greg Craig, is not welcome in Tibet, the head of China's Religious Affairs Bureau said Friday. Visiting US President Bill Clinton embarked on his landmark state visit to China Thursday but left Craig behind in Washington without giving a reason. "It is not appropriate for the US government to institute such a special coordinator on Tibet," Ye Xiaowen, director of China's Religious Affairs Bureau told a media briefing. "Critical remarks about Tibet and interference in China's internal affairs through this so-called coordinator will not be welcomed and he will certainly not be permitted to pay a visit to Tibet," he added.

Craig joined Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on her visit to China in April during which discussions on Tibet touched a raw nerve with China's President Jiang Zemin. When Albright tried to raise the issue with Jiang, he squashed dialogue with a 15-minute soliloquy on the history of religion in China. "I would like to make it clear here Tibet is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and Tibetan affairs fall entirely within China's internal affairs," Ye said. "This is a fact which is universally recognised by the international community," he added. Chinese troops took control of the Himalayan region in 1951, and Beijing claims its sovereignty dates back to the 13th century.