{"id":12485,"date":"2020-07-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savetibet.nl\/nieuws\/eu-high-representative-responds-to-parliamentarians-questions-on-tibet-and-nepal\/"},"modified":"2020-07-28T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-07-27T22:00:00","slug":"eu-high-representative-responds-to-parliamentarians-questions-on-tibet-and-nepal","status":"publish","type":"nieuws","link":"https:\/\/savetibet.nl\/en\/news\/eu-high-representative-responds-to-parliamentarians-questions-on-tibet-and-nepal\/","title":{"rendered":"EU High Representative responds to parliamentarian\u2019s questions on Tibet and Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The EU\u2019s foreign policy chief responded on July 24 to questions from a parliamentarian about human rights and autonomy in Tibet, as well as a proposed extradition treaty that would endanger Tibetan refugees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Member of the European Parliament Isabel Santos began her written questions by citing a report from the International Campaign for Tibet about new \u201cethnic unity\u201d legislation<\/a> that went into effect at the beginning of this year in the Tibet Autonomous Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The region spans about half of Tibet, a historically independent country<\/a> that China annexed in 1959 and continues to rule with an iron fist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe International Campaign for Tibet revealed how the \u2018ethnic unity\u2019 legislation recently adopted in Tibet will further erode the fundamental liberties of Tibetans and infringe their human rights<\/a>,\u201d Santos, of Portugal, wrote. \u201cThe new legislation adopted on 11 January 2020 aims to establish \u2018model areas for national unity and progress\u2019 in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and to give the Chinese government powers to impose a Chinese-centric way of life and cultivate Chinese Communist Party informers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santos added: \u201cCertain provisions of the new regulations stand out, as they aim at indoctrinating Tibetan preschool children with ideological propaganda and interfere with the spheres of family and its privacy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions for the high representative<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Santos concluded by asking two questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, she asked what actions the European External Action Service is taking in bilateral dialogue with China in regard to Tibet\u2019s autonomy<\/a> and the protection of Tibetans\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to that question, Josep Borrell, high representative of the union for foreign affairs, wrote that the EU has repeatedly raised \u201cstrong concerns\u201d about restrictions of religious freedom<\/a> and the rights of minorities in Tibet, both in bilateral dialogue with China and publicly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borrell, who is also vice president of the European Commission, said the EU has also focused on the condition of prisoners in Tibet<\/a> and the lack of reciprocal access to Tibet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has done so, both in the framework of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, as well as, most recently, during the Strategic Dialogue between\u201d Borrell \u201cand Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held on 9 June 2020, as well as during the EU-China summit<\/a> on 22 June 2020,\u201d Borrell wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that the European External Action Service, which he leads, \u201cremains committed to following developments related to Tibet and to continuing to express its expectation that the rights of the Tibetans should be respected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Proposed extradition treaty<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Santos also asked about a proposed extradition treaty<\/a> between China and Nepal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to 2008, thousands of Tibetans would flee to Nepal every year to escape China\u2019s brutal occupation of their land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under a \u201cgentleman\u2019s agreement\u201d between Nepal, the UN and other stakeholders, those Tibetans could travel safely to India, where the Dalai Lama<\/a> and the Tibetan exile leadership reside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the proposed treaty between Nepal and China could mean that Nepali authorities would deport any Tibetans who cross the border, sending them back to Tibet from where they just escaped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borrell noted that China and Nepal did not sign the proposed treaty during Chinese President Xi Jinping\u2019s visit to Kathmandu<\/a> in October 2019. However, the two sides said they would enhance information sharing and cooperation between their law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe European External Action Service is following closely developments in this area,\u201d Borrell wrote, \u201cas well as the application of the agreements concluded between China and Nepal, also considering the possible implications for the Tibetan community resident in Nepal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuing European support<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Borrell\u2019s answers to Santos build on his recent support for Tibetans\u2019 freedoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n