Dear Mr. ___,

Mr. Brian Cowen T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs, has asked me to thank you for your recent letter concerning the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in China, including the case of Mr. Zhao Ming.

The Minister shares your concerns about the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Government and is pleased to have this opportunity to inform you of the steps that he and his EU partners have taken to address this important issue. Together with his EU partners, he has conveyed these concerns to the Chinese authorities and has called upon them to respect the human rights of individuals. We have urged them to act in accordance with the principles contained in the UN Covenants signed by China, in particular those relating to the freedom of expression, assembly and association. We have also expressed concern about the number of arrests and heavy sentences imposed on some members of the Falun Gong movement, most recently in the course of the EU-China Human Rights dialogue 22-23 February. This dialogue is our preferred channel for working to improve the human rights situation in areas of concern and we see it remaining so in the period ahead.

The specific areas in which the EU will be seeking progress through the dialogue include respect for the exercise of the freedoms of expression, religion and belief, both public and private, and respect for the fundamental rights of all prisoners, including those arrested for membership of the political opposition, unofficial religious association or other movements, such as Falun Gong.

With regards to our bilateral relations with China, the Government also avails of every appropriate opportunity to raise the subject of human rights with Chinese officials. The Minister wishes to assure you that the Government is committed to working actively to bring about full observance of human rights in China.

Yours Sincerely,

Breifne O'Reilly Private Secretary