The UN accommodates Peking's reservations about the Dalai Lama

New York, USA
August 26, 2000
Die Presse (Vienna, Austria)

New York/Peking (ag.). U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan defended the decision of not inviting the Dalai Lama to the religious U.S. Peace Conference of 28-31 August in New York: the UN is "a building for member states" whose "sensitivities" one had to to accommodate, said Annan.

The spiritual head of the Tibetans may not take part in the meeting of about 1,000 religious leaders because of Peking's opposition.

On Friday three U.S. missionaries who had been taken into custody with 130 Chinese Christians several days ago were released in China, according to the U.S. State Department. [Translator's note: it's not just Falun Gong members who are being "re-educated", a euphemism for "brainwashed", Christian cults are also being systematically eradicated in China.] In the meantime, a Chinese executive delegation for religious issues has revealed that 151 members of the Falun Gong sect [of the thousands who are in custody .. trans.] have been convicted of "the most various of crimes." The delegation, which is currently traveling in the USA, also welcomed the U.N. decision not to invite the Dalai Lama.

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