Munich: This year’s meeting of the heads of the seven leading industrialized nations plus Russia (the G8 summit) is scheduled for June 6-8 in Heiligendamm, Germany. Through this annual forum, the members discuss serious international problems that the whole of humanity is facing. The agenda covered security, environmental, development policy issues. Another important issue for the G8 summit is protection of intellectual property rights that is discussed with emerging economies such as China and India. On May 24, 2007, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in her keynote speech at the World Economic Forum at Davos, summed up the agenda for the G8 2007 with the slogan “Growth and Responsibility.”

The World Uyghur Congress appreciates G8’s stance on respect for human rights as vital for establishing an open, developed and democratic society. This is expressed by G8 leaders’ recognition at their Genoa summit in 2001 as follows: “open, democratic and accountable systems of governance, based on respect for human rights and the rule of law, are preconditions for sustainable development and robust growth.”

The G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany comes at a critical time for global security and development. As the world faces new challenges in containing the proliferation of conflict, sustaining economic development and the degradation of the human rightssituation in many countries across the world, such comprehensive and urgent approaches to security and development have never been more urgent. The World Uyghur Congress hopes that along with other critical issues on the agenda of the G8 summit, the human rights issues will also be the focus of discussion on corporation with emerging economies, in particular with China. China’s presence at the G8 summit will give other leading industrialized nations another chance to press the emerging giant for a clear commitment on resolving the egregious human rights crisis in Darfur abroad and on the improvement of the human rightssituation at home. An ancient Chinese adage says “a man incapable of running his family cannot run a country”—which means that a country, like China, which has been irrespective of the rights and freedoms of its own people is also irresponsible for serious global problems, to which the G8 summit is currently trying to find solutions. Strictly speaking, there will be noprosperity, security and hope for the whole of humanity, if the fundamental human rights is in danger in some parts of the world.

On the occasion of the G8 summit, the World Uyghur Congress calls upon the G8 summit to take the efficient and results-oriented measures to help ensure that human rights dialogue with China is fully integrated into the G8 actions concerning development, security and global responsibility. The World Uyghur Congress urges the G8 to take initiative to discuss with China the key human rights issues relating to the ratification of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, reform of the criminal justice system—including the death penalty and the re-education through labour system, freedom of expression, and respect for minority rights in Tibet, East Turkistan and Inner Mongolia.