PRESS CONFERENCE ATHENS 2004 – BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC CELEBRATION – TIBET – CHINA
PRESS CONFERENCE
ATHENS 2004 – BEIJING 2008
OLYMPIC TRUCE – TIBET – CHINA
ATHENS, August 6, 2004
Anna Karamanou
former MEP (Member of the European Parliament)
It is a great pleasure and honor for me to participate in an event aimed at raising awareness among the media and the public, in light of the Olympic Games, and to put pressure on the international community and international organizations in order to find a just solution to the issue of Tibet. This is a political problem that was created by the Chinese invasion of 1950 and is directly related to basic human rights and fundamental freedoms.
I am happy that personalities who have in-depth knowledge of the issue, such as the following, will analyze the problem and answer your questions:
Mr. Wangpo Tethong, Member of the Board of the International Tibet Support Network and Chair of the Network’s Task Force on the Olympic Games. He has served as President of the European Tibetan Youth (1988-1990), member of the Central Committee of the Tibetan Youth Congress, and President of the Swiss-Tibetan Friendship Association (2002-2004). He was born in Switzerland in 1963 and studied History at the University of Zurich.
He has published numerous writings on Tibet and has released a book on the political history of the Tibetan community in exile.
Ms. Chara Kalomiri, granddaughter of our national composer Manolis Kalomiris, piano professor and Director of the National Conservatory. Alongside her musical activities, Ms. Kalomiri studied the Tibetan language and culture for many years (she holds a degree from the Sorbonne). In August 1979, she invited the Dalai Lama for his first and only visit to Greece, and provided the opportunity for many distinguished Tibetan Lamas to visit and teach in Greece. Translations of her work into Greek have been published, concerning Buddhist teachings, as well as two books by the Dalai Lama. At the encouragement of the Dalai Lama himself, Ms. Kalomiri founded the Greek-Tibetan Friendship Association in 2002.
Ms. Alison Reynolds, Member of the Board of the International Network for Support of Tibet, served as the President of the Network (2002-2003). She has been the Director since 1997 of the organization “Campaign for Tibet Liberation,” based in the UK. She was born in England in 1965 and studied Geography at the University of Cambridge. Before becoming involved with the Tibet Liberation movement, she was an active member of the environmental organization Greenpeace.
As far as I am concerned, during my term in the European Parliament, I was a member of the TIBET Intergroup and took part in many events advocating for the resolution of the Tibet issue and reconciliation with China.
In the summer of 2001, I participated in a mission of the European Parliament to Dharamsala, India, where the exiled Tibetan government is based under the political and religious leadership of the Dalai Lama, to whom we delivered an official invitation from the European Parliament. He responded to this invitation by speaking at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg in October 2001. Personally, I formed my views on Tibet from discussions with the Dalai Lama and would like to faithfully convey them to you.
In the meeting with the MEPs at his home in Dharamsala, the Tibetan leader particularly emphasized that his main goal is to preserve and maintain the uniqueness of Tibetan culture, spirituality, and cultural identity, within an autonomous Tibet. “We are not seeking independence or the separation of Tibet from China, as the Chinese fear. We are asking for respect for human rights, religious freedom, and the right to preserve our cultural identity. This identity is a treasure not only for Tibet and China but for all of humanity and can contribute to peace, non-violence, and human solidarity.” He also emphasized that they have essentially accepted almost all of China’s terms: One united China, one constitution, and Tibetan autonomy with locally elected governance, within the borders of China.
He himself stated that he would not seek any political office once the Tibet issue is resolved. “I am the last Dalai Lama,” he emphasized, “I hope I am neither the best nor the worst.” Moreover, in response to a related question, he expressed support for the complete separation of religious and state institutions. As is well known, he has already delegated a significant portion of the powers he held to the ministers and members of parliament of his exiled government. The Dalai Lama further stated that the exiled government would be dissolved and would have no privileges in an autonomous Tibet. He also argued that “our problem is China’s suspicion. They do not trust us, while we have nothing to hide. The core of our policy is dialogue, resolving differences through peaceful means, and non-violence.”
Regarding the Olympic Games, the Dalai Lama believes that China and its people deserved to host the 2008 Olympics. However, he expressed concern that there is a risk of the Games being used by China as a propaganda tool. (It is worth noting that the European Parliament, in a resolution, had opposed the awarding of the Olympics to China).