Brussels : The Tibet Interest Group (TIG) in the European Parliament (EP) convened its last monthly meeting yesterday before the summer recess. It was chaired by MEP Thomas Mann and attended by MEPs Sogor, Tremosa, Kelam, Parliamentary Assistants, Representatives of ICT, UNPO and staff members of the Bureau du Tibet.

The MEPs reviewed and shared their personal experiences on the mission to Dharamsala in May this year. The delegates were very pleased with the high level meetings with the CTA leadership and the exchanges they had with NGOs, journalists and particularly the transit school students. They expressed their gratitude for the audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Europe Day.

Another important issue discussed yesterday was the upcoming EU-China Human Rights dialogue and the EU-China Summit next month. Various ways and means to influence the EU Officials conducting the dialogue with China were discussed.

Mr Matteo Meccaci, President of ICT, presented the report entitled “Access Denied: China’s enforced isolation of Tibet, and the case for reciprocity” to the participants of the meeting. He highlighted the discriminatory restrictions on access by Foreigners to Tibet and the number of pending cases of visa applications of UN diplomats, journalists and others to Tibet. He urged the MEPs to call for reciprocal access.

The Bureau du Tibet followed up on the photo exhibition that will be organized in the European Parliament in August entitled “Tibetan in the Diaspora, a Success Story”. This is a highly regarded photo exhibition by Ms Albertina d’Urso from Italy. There is also an accompanying book called Out of Tibet. This exhibition has been exhibited around the world primarily in the US, Europe and Australia.

 – Report filed by Office of Tibet, Brussels –