A Letter to a Falun Gong Practitioner from Austrian President's Office

Dr. Markus Langer

Austrian President's Office

Vienna

September 15, 2000

Dear Ms. XX,

As per your request, I confirm receipt of your letter dated July 20th of this year, in which you have given the President of the Austrian Federal Republic a detailed description of the situation of Falun Gong practitioners in the People's Republic of China.

I can tell you that this matter is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry has been informed of the incidents that you described, and will do its utmost within the bounds of possibility.

Austria has repeatedly condemned the detention of thousands of Falun Gong adherents and the imposition of long jail terms for several of its leaders. At the European Union level, the Falun Gong matter has been touched on through publications of many statements and by taking several diplomatic measurements in favor of practitioners, and steps were also taken during the 56^th Convention of the Human Rights Commission of the UN.

Austria considers the active protection and the promotion of human rights as well as the battle against all kinds of discrimination as an essential part of its foreign policy. Therefore Austria, together with its partners in the European Union has decided to have a constructive dialog with the People's Republic of China to bring about concrete progress in human rights. This dialog, which has been going on since 1996 (with a break in the year 1997) consists of periodic meetings of Chinese and European government representatives, experts on human rights and NGOs (non-governmental organizations). Next to the general situation, specific subjects as well as individual cases are being handled in detail during this dialog.

In this institutionalized forum the EU tries to pay close attention to and urge the improvement of the human rights situation in China. Issues in connection with Falun Gong are handled with special priority. During the dialogue, the Falun Gong issue has been raised and we have sternly demanded that China observe the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners.

Austria will continue to discuss and follow the situation of Falun Gong in this forum and take the necessary commitment.

I hope to have served you with these remarks. Finally, I would like to relay best wishes from the President of the Austrian Federal Republic to you.

Yours sincerely,

(signature)

Dr. Markus Langer

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