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【英國泰晤士報／2013.0 5.07／唐寧街決定不為接待達賴喇嘛一事向中國道歉】

英首相大衛‧卡梅隆將會抗拒壓力，拒絕為去年他跟達賴喇嘛晤面一事，向中國道歉。去年卡梅隆因為與達賴喇嘛會面，導致英中高層關係急凍，英國外交人員形容有如「堅霜」。

據悉，英國首相對於不跟中國道歉一事，態度相當堅定，相反地，他希望這兩個G8國家能夠「經營他們的不同點」，繼續雙邊的經貿關係。

中國要求卡梅隆就去年與達賴喇嘛晤面一事作出正式道歉，其方式無所不至，透過各種管道，包括要求國營企業的代表向英政府提出要求，希望卡梅隆能在今年九月G20召開高峰會之前，表達某種正式形式的歉意。

唐寧街十號表示：「當然我們與中國在許多議題上有所往來；有些議題我們意見一致，其他議題我們彼此見解不同，然而我們強烈的相信，彼此尊重地經營我們的不同，並且儘可能地合作，將是我們兩國的共同利益。我們對圖伯特的立場是長期一致而且清楚的：我們認為圖伯特是中華人民共和國的一部份。」

被北京視為威脅國家統一的達賴喇嘛，一年前訪問倫敦，並且與卡梅隆在聖保羅大教堂晤面。英國商界的遊說團體也曾經抱怨，因為兩者晤面導致的英中關係問題，威脅了他們的生意──然而此抱怨未能獲得最近的英中貿易數字的證實，兩國的貿易往來依然非常健康。

然而，中國「懲罰」英國的方式在各國外交圈中是非常有名的：透過外交管道，中國向英國指出，如果英國首相到中國去，將見不到新總理李克強。與之對比的，是法國總統歐朗德上個月訪中國時，得到全套國家元首之禮遇。

一位外交官員說：「中國這一年以來都在耍脾氣，然而現在我們看到一些他們想要回歸正常關係的跡象了。我想，英國一直拒不道歉，讓他們有點意外。」

該位外交官又說，中國對於外國元首與達賴喇嘛晤面，有非常不同的反應：北京假如認為該國好欺負，就會一直得寸進尺；但是假如北京迫切想跟該國維持良好關係，就會睜一隻眼閉一隻眼。


London Times
Cameron resists China over Dalai Lama meeting

by Roland Watson and Leo Lewis
Published at 12:01AM, May 7 2013

David Cameron will resist pressure to apologise to China over a meeting with the Dalai Lama last year that has left what diplomats describe as a “hard frost” over top-level relations.

The Prime Minister is understood to be firmly set against issuing any apology for his meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader, hoping instead that the two G8 nations can “manage their differences” and leave bilateral trade unaffected.

China is known to have been using various channels, including representatives of state-owned companies, to send a message that it expects some form of apology from Mr Cameron before summits can be planned.

No 10 said: “Of course we engage with China on a huge range of issues; on some we agree, on others we disagree, but we strongly believe it is in the interests of both countries to manage our differences with respect, and co-operate as much as possible. Our position on Tibet is longstanding and clear: we regard Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China.”

The Dalai Lama, who is viewed by Beijing as a dangerous threat to national unity, visited London a year ago and met Mr Cameron in St Paul’s Cathedral. British business lobbyists have complained that the resultant cloud over relations threatens their position — a complaint not borne out by recent figures that show UK-China trade in good health.

But China is well known to be “punishing” Britain in a way that has highlighted weaknesses in Mr Cameron’s management of Britain’s relationship with the world’s second biggest economy. Through diplomatic channels China indicated that were the Prime Minister to travel to China, he would not meet Li Keqiang, the newly installed premier. Last month President Hollande of France enjoyed a full state visit.

“China has now spent a year being pretty churlish, but there may be signals that they want things back to normal,” one diplomat said. “I think they may be somewhat surprised that Britain has resisted any kind of apology.”

The diplomat added that China had displayed very different reactions to foreign leaders’ meetings with the Dalai Lama: Beijing tailors its response according to what it judges it can get away with and how badly it feels it needs good relations.

British officials compared the issue with the Alexander Litvinenko case and Anglo-Russian relations. Andrei Lugovoy, the former KGB agent, is wanted in the UK over the murder of Mr Litvinenko, a former KGB agent and Putin critic. However, London and Moscow have effectively agreed to disagree over the issue.

Mr Cameron is hoping to travel to China this year. His next scheduled meeting with Mr Li is the G20 summit in September.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/article3757592.ece