France calls on China to end Tibet "repression"

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner stepped up on Tuesday his country's criticism of China over its handling of violence in Tibet, calling for an end to "repression" there.

France has called for an end to the violence, in which Tibet's government-in-exile says 140 people have been killed.

Kouchner has called on China to let foreign media into Tibet but previously avoided using strong language like "repression".

"The violence must end on both sides but above all the repression must end since now one cannot go to Tibet," Kouchner, a former human rights activist, told Europe 1 radio.

China blames the unrest in Tibet on the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's exiled spiritual leader. It says he masterminded a wave of protests that began with peaceful rallies in Tibet's capital Lhasa on March 10, the 49th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Five days later, the marches escalated into a riot that China says killed 19, and unrest has continued since then.

China's ban on foreign media in Tibet and surrounding areas has made independent verification of reports difficult.

"One of the demands, which I have formulated several times, is that the journalists who are blocked around Tibet can go there. Information must circulate," Kouchner said, adding that he had made the request to his Chinese counterpart.

"Obviously the answer was that there are security issues. I do not think they are valid because journalists must know to take risks and they very often do," he said.

The Tibet protests have come at a sensitive time for China, which is hosting the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer.

Kouchner said he hoped EU foreign ministers would reach a common position on Tibet when they meet in Slovenia on Friday.

"Perhaps what we should hear is the (International) Olympic Committee. If they had something to say, now would be the time to tell us about it," he added.