Madam, - I read with interest Conor O'Clery's valedictory article in last Saturday's paper and was concerned to see the old canard in relation to my visit to Tibet being repeated. For the record I had neither the wish nor the power to prevent Conor from travelling to Tibet with my party. May I also set the context?
In early 1998 I had been invited by the Chinese government to pay an official visit to China, the first by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. I accepted, but only if I could visit Tibet. It took many months of difficult negotiations to persuade the Chinese to agree. Some weeks before I travelled to Beijing I was contacted by RTÉ, and readily supported their application to accompany me to Tibet, which required a special permit from the Chinese. I then learned that The Irish Times had also secured a permit and that Conor O'Clery would accompany me. I was pleased, not least because Conor's insightful articles on China had been part of the background briefing provided by my office. However, I was troubled that as an Irish person, and a senior UN official, the only permits granted at this stage were to Irish media.
I asked my officials to support applications of other journalists in the large Beijing-based press corps who wished to travel to Tibet with my party. When I came to Beijing I raised the issue with the Deputy Foreign Minister and explained why I was reluctant to travel with only Irish media
Time was running out, as the visit to Tibet was early in the official visit. Despite my pleading and the urging of UN officials the Chinese refused to grant other permits and ultimately cancelled the Irish Times permit.
I wish Conor O'Clery every happiness and fulfilment in his retirement. - Yours, etc,
MARY ROBINSON, Ethical Globalization Initiative, New York.