[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 10, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2539-S2540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TIBETAN DAY OF COMMEMORATION

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I rise today to commemorate the 45th 
anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising of 1959. I sincerely hope that 
Chinese and Tibetan leaders will take this opportunity to work together 
in a spirit of cooperation and dialogue to overcome differences that 
have plagued relations between China and Tibet for too long.
  After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949-1950, China and the Tibet 
Government signed the ``Seventeen Points Agreement'' to make Tibet an 
autonomous region in the People's Republic of China and grant the 
Tibetan people the right of autonomy in determining the shape of their 
religious, cultural, and social institutions.
  Nevertheless, in the ensuing years the Chinese Government did not 
fulfill its commitments, leading to the 1959 Lhasa Uprising and the 
flight of the Dalai Lama. Forty-five years later, tens of thousands of 
Tibetan refugees have been forced to flee their homeland in the face of 
repeated oppression and human rights abuses and those that remain are 
still unable to practice their religion freely and preserve their 
cultural autonomy.
  Despite this tragedy, the Dalai Lama has consistently stated that his 
goal is not independence for Tibet but rather cultural and religious 
autonomy for the Tibetan people and negotiations within the framework 
enunciated by Deng Xiaoping in 1979.
  Last year, in his speech to commemorate the Lhasa Rebellion, the 
Dalai Lama said:

       As far back as the early seventies in consultation with 
     senior Tibetan officials I made a decision to seek a solution 
     to the Tibetan problem through a ``Middle Way Approach.'' 
     This framework does not call for independence and separation 
     of Tibet. At the same time, it provides genuine autonomy for 
     the six million men and women who consider themselves 
     Tibetans, to preserve their distinctive identity, to promote 
     their religious

[[Page S2540]]

     and cultural heritage that is based on a centuries-old 
     philosophy which is a benefit even in the 21st century, and 
     to protect the delicate environment of the Tibetan plateau. 
     This approach will contribute to the overall stability and 
     unity of the People's Republic of China.

  I have worked on behalf of Tibet and the Tibetan people for over 20 
years and I have done everything in my power to bring China and Tibet 
together to settle their differences peacefully at the negotiating 
table. I have personally carried messages from the Dalai Lama to China 
on these issues and there is no doubt in my mind that he is fully 
prepared to negotiate with China to achieve a just and lasting peace 
for the Tibetan people.
  It is disappointing that another year has gone by and more progress 
has not been achieved in settling these issues. The road ahead of us is 
long but we must persevere to ensure that the Tibetan people will one 
day achieve the freedom and autonomy to shape their own society. It is 
my sincere hope that China will cooperate with the Dalai Lama in 
resolving their differences on Tibet.

                          ____________________