Germany urges China to open up on Tibet

By Erik Kirschbaum

BERLIN, March 21 (Reuter) - China should let the world know what is happening in Tibet and the Olympic host is only hurting itself by denying access to foreign observers, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Friday.

Steinmeier said that China, which seeks political stability, and Tibet, which wants to protect its cultural identity, should find common ground to avert further bloodshed.

Relations between China and Germany chilled after Chancellor Angela Merkel in September became the first German chancellor to meet with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, whom China views as a separatist.

Following months of secret diplomacy led by Steinmeier Beijing and Berlin said in January ties had returned to normal.

"The German government's unequivocal message to China is: show clarity!" Steinmeier said in an interview for Saturday's Bild newspaper.

"We want to know exactly what is going on in Tibet," he said, adding he will speak to his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on the telephone this weekend.

"China is only hurting itself by preventing foreign observers from seeing what is going on."

China's crackdown on anti-government protests in Tibet -- which it says were orchestrated by the Dalai Lama -- has drawn sharp international criticism and clouded preparations for the Beijing Olympics in August.