Kalon Takla to attend Asia Pacific Forum in Japan

Wednesday, 2 July 2008, 12:30 p.m.

Dharamshala: Kalon Kesang
Yangkyi Takla, kalon for the Department of Information and
International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration based in
Dharamshala, arrived Tuesday in Japan at the invitation of the Save
Tibet Network.

Kalon Kesang Y Takla (second from right) addressing a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 July 2008/Photo: Radio Fress Asia

Kalon Takla is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the Save Tibet Asia Pacific Forum in Tokyo on 2 and 3 July.

Asia Pacific Forum is by organized by Save-Tibet Network (STN)
represented by Mr Makino Seishu, former Japanese Parliamentarian. The
Forum is organized with a view to make the Tibet issue heard and
discussed in the forthcoming G-8 summit in Japan.

The forum aims to present a convincing and strong resolution at
the end of the meeting to represent during G-8 summit to urge the
Chinese leadership to make substantive progress on the dialogue between
the Chinese government and envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Participants, including parliamentarians and Tibet supporters
from Japan, Australia and Taiwan, will make presentations on human
rights and environmental issues in Tibet.

Kalon Takla attended a luncheon hosted with the press by The Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Japan (FCC) at Yurakucho.

She explained the objective of her visit as a response to the
invitation by Save Tibet Asia Pacific Forum organizers to highlight the
issue on Tibet, and to make presentations along with the participants
at the Forum to the leaders of G-8 countries to take up the Tibetan
issue during their forthcoming summit in Sapporo, Japan.

She said following the 10 March unrest in Tibet, conscience of
the world has been raised to what is really happening inside Tibet. She
added that the peaceful demonstrations in Tibet were a clear indication
of the fact that Tibetans in Tibet are not happy under the present
Chinese policies.

She also said resolution of Tibet issue is not only in the
interest of Tibetans but also in the interest of China. “If China wants
a place in the world leadership, the Chinese leadership should show
sincere political will to solve Tibet issue. The ongoing talk is a very
good opportunity for the Chinese leadership to raise its image and show
to the world that it is sincere and a responsible state.”

She thanked the Japanese government and the public for their
support and interest. She reiterated the Central Tibetan
Administration’s stand of seeking genuine autonomy for the three
traditional provinces of Tibet and said that this right is very much
enshrined in the Chinese constitution and that they are not seeking
independence or separation from China.

Later, Kalon Takla attended questions from the press. According
to the organizer, there were some 45 media representatives from major
media and local papers. The press conference concluded with a note of
thanks from Catherine Makino, President of Foreign Correspondent’s Club
of Japan.

Kalon Takla’s press conference was broadcasted on Japanese NHK television in the evening.

Kalon Takla will attend the Asia Pacific Forum tomorrow at
Gakushi Kaikan in which Parliamentarians and supporters from Australia,
Taiwan and Japan are scheduled to participate.

— Based on Report filed by Tibet House, Tokyo, Japan