BRITISH CONCERN WITH TIBET

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26264, 8 November 1950, Page 7

BRITISH CONCERN WITH TIBET

CHINESE RESORT TO FORCE DEPLORED LONDON, November 6. The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr Ernest Davies) told Parliament to-day that the British Government deplored the resort to force by the Chinese in Tibet. He said that Britain had been, and continued to be, in consultation with other interested governments on this issue.

“On the transfer of power to India in 1947, all the existing treaty rights and obligations of the British Government with regard to Tibet were assumed by the Government of India,” he said. "When we informed the Tibetan Government of this change we expressed our intention of continuing our friendly interest in the maintenance of Tibetan autonomy. That is still 'our attitude. “The British Government has. over a long period, recognised Chinese suzerainty over Tibet, but only on the understanding that Tibet is regarded as autonomous. For many years this has been nominal, and, indeed, since 1911, Tibet has enjoyed de facto independence. “There is not a country which is more inaccessible or which has fewer contacts with the outside world than Tibet. It would be ludicrous to suggest that Tibet is a threat to anyone.” Mr Davies concluded: “The Chinese forces are reported to have penetrated into Tibet well beyond the areas where the boundary is in dispute. The British Government deplores this resort to force by the Chinese Government against a people who have no other wish than to pursue their way of life free from outside interference.”