DALAI LAMA'S BIRTHDAY

Early day motion 505, tabled 5 July 2005 by Harry Cohen (Labour). Signed by 72 members.

That this House congratulates his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 70th birthday on 6th July; welcomes the recent talks between his envoys and representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China which concluded on 1st July in Berne, Switzerland; expresses its earnest desire to see substantial progress towards an end to China's occupation of Tibet; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to do all in its power during the course of its Presidency of the European Union to encourage China's leaders to drop pre-conditions to substantive negotiations on Tibet's future status.

Signatures by party: Labour 32, Liberal Democrat 19, Conservative 12, Scottish National Party 5, Plaid Cymru 3, UUP 1.