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China warns West envoys off Nobel ceremony
Afp, Oslo
China has warned other countries against attending the award ceremony in Oslo for Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, diplomats said yesterday, in the latest sign of Beijing's irritation at the Norwegian Nobel Committee's pick this year.
Diplomats from several countries said China's embassy in Oslo had sent letters to Western missions implicitly cautioning them not to attend the prize ceremony on December 10 in the Norwegian capital.
The decision to award the prize to Liu, a veteran Chinese dissident currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for subversion against the state, has enraged the Communist government in Beijing.
In Beijing, Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said governments would have to "take responsibility for the consequences" if they showed support for Liu, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
China has said the honour awarded last month was tantamount to "encouraging crime."
Norway-based ambassadors are traditionally invited to attend the ceremony in Oslo city hall along with royalty and other stars, and the Chinese warnings do not appear to have dissuaded many of them from attending.
"We have received a letter which explains the Chinese position and which asks us not to do anything which could destabilise China," Olof Huldtgren, the deputy head of mission at the Swedish embassy in Oslo, told AFP.
"It does not explicitly say don't participate in the Nobel ceremony, but reading between the lines, the message is clear."
Another Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed receipt of the letter.
"The note that we have received does not specifically say not to attend although it's an implication. It warns against doing anything against Chinese interests," the diplomat said.
Both Oslo-based diplomats said their countries' ambassadors would attend the ceremony, while the Icelandic embassy also said it had received a warning but would be represented.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office in London acknowledged the Chinese "have raised the issue with us," but stressed: "It is the normal practice of the British ambassador to Norway to attend the Nobel peace prize ceremony. The ambassador intends to attend this year."
British Prime Minister David Cameron will be in China at the head of a business delegation when the ceremony takes place.
The Dutch foreign ministry said it had "taken note of China's concerns," but had told Beijing the ceremony "will, as per tradition, be attended by the Dutch ambassador, regardless of the Nobel committee's choice of laureate."
France, currently hosting a three-day state visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao amid a signing frenzy of billions of dollars in industrial contracts, has not said whether its ambassador will be present.
Around 20 rights activists staged a protest in Paris on Friday as Hu's motorcade passed, calling for Liu to be freed.
Police intervened rapidly as protestors from media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) opened up white umbrellas with "Free Liu Xiaobo" printed on them and shouted the same slogan as Hu approached the Arc de Triomphe.
Activists and the Socialist opposition complain France has kept human rights off the menu for the visit.
Japan, which has suffered a spell of tense relations with China, has also yet to say if it would be represented at the Nobel ceremony in Oslo.
"We have caught wind of this letter but we are not going to change anything about our participation" in the ceremony, Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marte Lerberg Kopstad told AFP.
The Norwegian king and queen, as well as members of government, traditionally attend the event.
Norwegian Nobel Institute director Geir Lundestad said the Chinese letter was "not a surprise."
"China has made clear its position on the prize and this letter is just a continuation of that," he told AFP.
Ambassadors based in the Norwegian capital have until November 15 to reply to the invitation.
So far, only the Chinese ambassador has declined, according to Lundestad.
"The invitations came back to us unopened. We take that as a 'no'," he said.
With Liu Xiaobo in prison and his wife Liu Xia under house arrest, the Nobel Institute is still trying to decide who should accept the prize at the ceremony.
"If there is no one obvious, we will not hand out the medal, the diploma and the cheque (for 10 million Swedish kronor, 1.5 million dollars, 1.07 million euros), and we will wait for another occasion," Lundestad said.
"But the ceremony will take place nonetheless," he added.
link:
China warns West envoys off Nobel ceremony
Afp, Oslo
China has warned other countries against attending the award ceremony in Oslo for Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, diplomats said yesterday, in the latest sign of Beijing's irritation at the Norwegian Nobel Committee's pick this year.
Diplomats from several countries said China's embassy in Oslo had sent letters to Western missions implicitly cautioning them not to attend the prize ceremony on December 10 in the Norwegian capital.
The decision to award the prize to Liu, a veteran Chinese dissident currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for subversion against the state, has enraged the Communist government in Beijing.
In Beijing, Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said governments would have to "take responsibility for the consequences" if they showed support for Liu, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
China has said the honour awarded last month was tantamount to "encouraging crime."
Norway-based ambassadors are traditionally invited to attend the ceremony in Oslo city hall along with royalty and other stars, and the Chinese warnings do not appear to have dissuaded many of them from attending.
"We have received a letter which explains the Chinese position and which asks us not to do anything which could destabilise China," Olof Huldtgren, the deputy head of mission at the Swedish embassy in Oslo, told AFP.
"It does not explicitly say don't participate in the Nobel ceremony, but reading between the lines, the message is clear."
Another Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed receipt of the letter.
"The note that we have received does not specifically say not to attend although it's an implication. It warns against doing anything against Chinese interests," the diplomat said.
Both Oslo-based diplomats said their countries' ambassadors would attend the ceremony, while the Icelandic embassy also said it had received a warning but would be represented.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office in London acknowledged the Chinese "have raised the issue with us," but stressed: "It is the normal practice of the British ambassador to Norway to attend the Nobel peace prize ceremony. The ambassador intends to attend this year."
British Prime Minister David Cameron will be in China at the head of a business delegation when the ceremony takes place.
The Dutch foreign ministry said it had "taken note of China's concerns," but had told Beijing the ceremony "will, as per tradition, be attended by the Dutch ambassador, regardless of the Nobel committee's choice of laureate."
France, currently hosting a three-day state visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao amid a signing frenzy of billions of dollars in industrial contracts, has not said whether its ambassador will be present.
Around 20 rights activists staged a protest in Paris on Friday as Hu's motorcade passed, calling for Liu to be freed.
Police intervened rapidly as protestors from media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) opened up white umbrellas with "Free Liu Xiaobo" printed on them and shouted the same slogan as Hu approached the Arc de Triomphe.
Activists and the Socialist opposition complain France has kept human rights off the menu for the visit.
Japan, which has suffered a spell of tense relations with China, has also yet to say if it would be represented at the Nobel ceremony in Oslo.
"We have caught wind of this letter but we are not going to change anything about our participation" in the ceremony, Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marte Lerberg Kopstad told AFP.
The Norwegian king and queen, as well as members of government, traditionally attend the event.
Norwegian Nobel Institute director Geir Lundestad said the Chinese letter was "not a surprise."
"China has made clear its position on the prize and this letter is just a continuation of that," he told AFP.
Ambassadors based in the Norwegian capital have until November 15 to reply to the invitation.
So far, only the Chinese ambassador has declined, according to Lundestad.
"The invitations came back to us unopened. We take that as a 'no'," he said.
With Liu Xiaobo in prison and his wife Liu Xia under house arrest, the Nobel Institute is still trying to decide who should accept the prize at the ceremony.
"If there is no one obvious, we will not hand out the medal, the diploma and the cheque (for 10 million Swedish kronor, 1.5 million dollars, 1.07 million euros), and we will wait for another occasion," Lundestad said.
"But the ceremony will take place nonetheless," he added.
link:
China warns West envoys off Nobel ceremony
