-Caveat Lector- Mbeki flounders under Dalai Lama dilemma By Peter Fabricius November 27 1999 at 06:22PM President Thabo Mbeki is desperately struggling to wriggle out of an embarrassing political dilemma after he reportedly caved in to Chinese pressure to refuse to grant a one-on-one meeting with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. Mbeki's stance has drawn a wave of criticism from opposition politicians, human-rights activists and, most painfully, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who said he was "disappointed" by Mbeki's refusal. Reports this week claimed that Mbeki had turned down a request from the Dalai Lama for a meeting after pressure from Li Peng, the visiting Chinese number two. He would only see him as part of a delegation of religious leaders attending the world parliament of religions conference in Cape Town this week. In Australia, Tutu responded in typically candid fashion to the reports of Mbeki's refusal. "I'm sorry that my president has not been able to meet him," he said, noting that Nelson Mandela had met the Dalai Lama alone and would probably have done so again. He described Mbeki's decision as "sad". Criticism came from others and by Friday Parks Mankahlana, Mbeki's spokespersonn, denied that Mbeki had turned down the Dalai Lama's request. No decision had been taken, he said. He also denied that Mbeki had come under pressure from China to cancel the meeting, although sources in Mbeki's office had earlier said that Li Peng, during his recent visit, had explained to Mbeki why China would not want him to meet the Dalai Lama. The source suggested that it was hard to refuse China because of its huge market potential and its veto in the United Nations security council. Li Peng later spelt out his views publicly, telling a journalist in Israel - during a similar controversy over meetings between Israeli politicians and the Dalai Lama - that "the Dalai Lama is not simply a religious figure". "He is a separatist engaged in separating China. That is why China rejects political activities carried out in other countries against China." Mankahlana confirmed an account by Tashi Phuntsok, the Dalai Lama's African representative, that Mbeki's office had turned down a proposed meeting on December 7 because of Mbeki's busy schedule. But Mankahlana said that this did not mean that Mbeki would not see the Dalai Lama. It would depend on the president's schedule. "We are looking at his diary to see if we can accommodate him in a group of people. He's not going to see him individually - but only for reasons of time." Several organisations and spiritual leaders have launched scathing attacks on Mbeki. Colin Eglin, the Democratic Party's foreign affairs spokesperson, said: "We find it embarrassing that President Mbeki has apparently bowed to pressure from the Communist government in China." The Tibetan support group said that Mbeki's refusal was a "sad hypocrisy". "In 1996 Nelson Mandela met the Dalai Lama openly. Are we now just a government for sale? Human rights are not a trade-off for economic development." Some observers suspect that killing the Mbeki-Dalai Lama meeting might have been the principal purpose of Li Peng's mysterious visit, a suspicion confirmed by the fact that their paths also crossed in Israel last week where Li Peng cancelled a dinner with Avraham Burg, the speaker of the Israeli parliament, because he had met the Dalai Lama. - Foreign Service DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
