N-Philes :: Forums - Dalai Lama visits Belgium, Communist China pressuring Belgian government?

06-02-2006, 06:29 PM

Knight of Cydonia

It's unnatural selection

Join Date: Jan 2006

Location: Belgium

Posts: 3,859 Knight of Cydonia needs a hobby

Dalai Lama visits Belgium, Communist China pressuring Belgian government?

Well, time to shamelessly bring my country under attention again

...

Quote:

Dalai Lama addresses parliament

Thu 1/06/06 - The Dalai Lama, the spiritual and worldly leader of the people of Tibet, has addressed the Belgian Parliament.

The Dalai Lama called for his homeland to be given greater autonomy within the People's Republic of China.

Earlier the Tibetan leader in exile met with Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt (Flemish liberal) and the Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives, Herman Decroo (Flemish liberal).

Both meetings took place in private. There are no official photographs and Belgian leaders did not comment on the meeting afterwards.

No TV cameras were allowed to record the Dalai Lama's arrival at Zaventem Airport either.

(picture Belga)

Did the Chinese pressurise Belgium?

The low key welcome that the Tibetan leader is receiving from the Belgian authorities has angered opposition lawmakers.

Official sources say that the Dalai Lama's visit is a private visit by a religious leader.

Off the record the VRT has learnt that Communist China put Belgium under great pressure to ensure that the visit does not generate publicity.

Opposition lawmaker Sabine de Bethune says that the human rights' situation in China has reached a critical stage and that now is the time for the international community to put respect for the autonomy, religious freedoms and the human rights of the Tibetan people on the agenda.

The Chinese ambassador in our country even stated that this visit harms our countries relations, I personally think it's sad how almost the whole world seems to ignore the case of Tibet, so that they can all profit from China's booming economy. The same thing happens with other human rights issues in China too. A bit earlier this year a Belgian delegation even visited China to make buisiness deals...

06-02-2006, 11:46 PM	#2
Caster13 Meow =^_^= Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,808	I know what you mean. A few months ago I heard about how the Ontario government was sending delegates to China in a bid to attract more business. It was pretty disheartening. __________________ "I have captured the enemy for meat testing! Praise me! PRAISE ME!!!" -GIR Wi-Fi ID: 1627 8934 4983 8539

06-03-2006, 12:58 AM	#3
~~MrSnuggles~~ Banned Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Land of the free, home of the brave Posts: 8,147	Asking europe for help is like asking the french to help you fight germany.

06-03-2006, 05:01 AM	#4
Knight of Cydonia It's unnatural selection Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 3,859	We fought Germany in World War 1 instead of just giving them free passage to attack France, only you can't really expect to win against a country that's more than 10 times as big as you, plus that had a far more advanced war machine... Still our country held on behind the Yser during 4 years, mainly thanks to the help of the Brittish...