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WASHINGTON: After weeks of silence, US President George W. Bush intervened in the Tibet crisis Wednesday, telephoning Chinese leader Hu Jintao to strongly underline his concern over the bloody unrest.
Bush also asked Hu to allow full access to diplomats and journalists in Tibet and called for talks between Beijing and representatives of the Himalayan territory's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the White House said.
Bush's telephone call to Hu came more than two weeks after the eruption of the biggest protests against Chinese rule in Tibet in nearly 20 years that has left, according to Tibet's exiled leaders, some 140 people dead.
The US leader had earlier left it to his staff to call for Chinese restraint and reiterate his plans to attend the Beijing Olympics in August amid mounting anger at the Chinese crackdown on the Tibetan protests.
In his talks with Hu Wednesday, Bush "raised his concerns about the situation in Tibet and encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives and to allow access for journalists and diplomats," the White House said in a statement.
Briefing reporters on the call, Bush's national security advisor Stephen Hadley said the president "pushed very hard" on the need for restraint in the violence in Tibet as well as the need for consultation with representatives of the Dalai Lama.
Talks between the Chinese authorities and the Dalai Lama's envoys were suspended since the summer of last year.
"The president urged that those be restored as part of a process for the Chinese authorities reaching out to and addressing the grievances of the people in Tibet," Hadley said.
Beijing was prepared to continue contacts and consultations with the Dalai Lama, but Hu said -- according to Hadley -- that the Tibetan spiritual leader had to stop pushing for Tibetan independence and halt crime and violence in the territory.
The Dalai Lama has rejected the claims, saying he only wanted "meaningful autonomy."
"So, again, the question is whether this will turn out to be an opening for a consultation process between Chinese authorities and representatives of the Dalai Lama. So we'll have to see," Hadley said.
Bush has made numerous appeals to Chinese leaders to talk to the Dalai Lama to resolve the longstanding Tibetan issue but they have not budged. Tibet has featured in all his talks with Hu so far.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had telephoned his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao a week ago and pressed the premier to end the bloody violence.
Amid calls for world leaders to stay away from the Beijing Olympics to show displeasure to China over the Tibet issue, French leader Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday floated the possibility of boycotting the opening ceremony.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus said Wednesday that he would not attend the games.
But the White House maintains Bush would be at the event, drawing a distinction between sports and politics.
"His purpose, you know, whether Olympics or no Olympics, these are important issues that need to be addressed," Hadley said.
Asked whether Hu did not just brush off the president on Tibet, Hadley said, "No, it was a very lengthy exchange and it was well-prepared."
He said the two leaders also had a "serious conversation" on Taiwan, North Korea and Myanmar issues. - AFP/ac
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