(Clearwisdom.net) The famous German TV Station First Channel reported on German President Horst Koehler's speech at a press conference after his meeting with Chinese President Hu. Mr. Koehler said that he pointed out to Mr. Hu that respecting people's wishes, enjoying freedom and dignity, are common values around the world and the aim of the United Nations' Constitution. Only through promoting peace, freedom and democracy, can people's lives improve and only then can economic growth be maintained. A reporter commented on the two-minute long criticism as rather unusual. While Mr. Koehler was speaking, the camera focused on Hu Jintao who appeared stiff, embarrassed and lowered his head.

Koehler welcomed Hu with full military honor. However, while Hu walked on the red carpet facing the presidential palace, he could not avoid seeing two large banners in front of him that read: "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice" and "Hu Jintao, the Time Given to You by Gods and the Chinese People Is Limited." Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful appeal there with the two banners. The whole scenario was broadcast on the major German TV channels.

Many Falun Gong practitioners wrote personal letters to President Koehler in October after learning that Hu Jintao was invited to visit Germany. They hoped Mr. Koehler would ask Hu to put an end to the persecution of Falun Gong and release Mr. Jiang Renzheng who was deported from Germany and is now suffering persecution in China. Petitions were collected, calling on the German President to help stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China. An open letter was also delivered to Mr. Koehler's office prior to Hu's visit. Earlier this year, in August, when Mr. Koehler was visiting the city of Cham, a local practitioner handed a letter to him with the help of an international human rights organisation. She asked him to pay attention to the brutal persecution and rescue Mr. Jiang Renzheng.

Before his meeting with Hu, Koehler greeted appealing Falun Gong practitioners in person and asked them what they wanted. Practitioners told him to ask Hu to stop the persecution of Falun Gong. Mr. Koehler promised that he would raise the issue of human rights with Hu. He also encouraged practitioners to continue in their efforts. This was reported by the newspaper Berliner Zeitung.

Before Hu Jintao's German visit, the Chinese foreign minister Li Zhaoxing gave a public statement saying that all politicians around the world want to have a good relationship with China and that China is important to Germany's economy. Li claimed that human rights is China's internal issue, and that it has been clearly dealt with in the Chinese Constitution, which he was happy to make available. Li's effort, however, was unable to help Hu. President Koehler gave Hu a lesson in democracy his first day in Germany in front of the press. The public scrutiny prompted Hu to lower his head. All major German media reported on Koehler's speech.

Source: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200511/29951.html

Posting date: 11/22/2005
Original article date: 11/22/2005
Category: News & Media Reports
Chinese version available at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200511/46842.html

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