(Clearwisdom.net) On January 11th, 2007, a forum entitled, "What Is Peace? How to Achieve Peace?" was held at the French Senate. David Kilgour, former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia Pacific, delivered a speech. Mr. Kilgour believes that the human rights situation in China has been continuously deteriorating. After the forum, Mr. Kilgour told a reporter from Sound of Hope Radio that he touched upon many human rights issues in China. He said that the forum was very successful.

Mr. Kilgour stated: "China had promised to improve human rights when it was applying to host the Olympic Games. But the actual development is contrary to its promise. Taking [human rights attorney] Gao Zhisheng as an example, he and his family have been continuously subjected to abuses. This issue will let more governments and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) realize that from now to 2008, many people will decide not to go to China for the Olympic Games if such issues continue. The Chinese communist regime has not done anything to improve human rights."

Mr. Kilgour added: "The forum held at the French Senate played a very positive role in helping the senators to realize that the human rights problems in China are caused by the Chinese Communist government. Many French senators, media outlets and NGOs are changing their views and they want to figure out what has really happened in China."

The forum was sponsored by the France-based Action for Human Rights Association and co-sponsored by the United Nations’ Western Europe Information Centre, the French National Human Rights Advisory Committee, the New Tang Dynasty TV and the Sound of Hope Radio Sweden. Partners of the forum includes: France-Israel Association, Lawyers Without Borders, CILAME, the UN NGO Committee, the Association Solidarite Chine, Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group, the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and the Association of World Citizens. French Senator Mr. Vendasi also sponsored this forum.

Invited speakers also included the following noted figures: Mr. Bugada, the United Nations’ Western Europe Information Centre; Mr. Michel Forest, the general secretary of the French National Human Rights Advisory Committee; Mr. Goldnadel, the chair of Lawyers Without Borders; Mr. Wu Baozhang, former director of Radio France International Chinese programmes; Mrs. Holzman, sinologist and president of the Association Solidarite Chine; Mr. Tang Hanlong, chair of the French Falun Gong Association; Mr. Michel Taube, the chair of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

Source http://clearharmony.net/articles/200701/37582.html