German Parliamentarian says Zhang Qingli’s utterance on Tibet is detrimental to China

Holger Haibach, a member of the German Parliament and Chairman of the Parliament’s Tibet Inter-Group, has said that the Dalai Lama’s approach of reconciliation and peaceful dialogue is an opportunity that China should seize.

In a letter to the German weekly, Der Spiegel (Issue 38/2006), in response to its recent interview with Zhang Qingli, Party Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Haibach said Zhang’s accusations against the Dalai Lama are “silly” and that his action is “detrimental to his country.” Zhang had made derogatory statements against the Dalai Lama in the interview.

Haibach is also the Vice Chairman of the German Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid.

The Tibet Inter-Group of the German Bundestag is an informal group of approximately 40 parliamentarians and senior staff members of the German Bundestag. The group in the past had introduced several declarations on the issue of Tibet.

Following is the unofficial translation of the Letter from the original German

With his politics of reconciliation and peaceful dialogue, the Dalai Lama is a great opportunity for China and she should seize it. To denounce him as a betrayer to his fatherland is thus silly and not acceptable. Zhang is detrimental to his country, if he denounces the Dalai Lama and disregards the rights of the Tibetans.

Holger Haibach
Berlin
Tibet Inter-Group in the German Parliament