Countries around the world have expressed their support to the Chinese government on its handling of the recent riots in Lhasa, capital city of China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

A spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday strongly denounced the unsavory elements of their moves to seek "the independence of Tibet" and scuttle the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

He expressed support to the Chinese government in its efforts to ensure social stability and the rule of law in Tibet and to defend the fundamental interests of the Tibetan people.

A spokesman of Mongolia's Foreign Ministry reiterated that Mongolia adheres to the one-China policy and recognizes Tibet as an inalienable part of China.

The Foreign Ministry of Nepal said in a statement that Tibet is an inseparable part of China and it appreciates the commitment by the Chinese government to peace, stability and progress.

A spokesman of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Thursday, expressing Bangladesh's solidarity with China on the Tibet issue.

All matters pertaining to Tibet are internal affairs of China, the statement said.

Bangladesh wishes the Beijing Olympic Games great success and said it opposes the idea of politicizing the sports event, the spokesman said.

Kazakh Vice Foreign Minister Nurlan Baiuzakovich Yermekbayev told reporters that Tibet is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory, and the measures taken by the Chinese government in efforts to defend Tibet's social stability is entirely China's internal affair.

Adakhan Madumarov, speaker of the Kyrgyzstan's parliament said the violent crimes in Lhasa have caused casualties among innocent people and damage to property.

He said Kyrgyzstan is very concerned about these events. The Tibet issue is an internal affair of China and Kyrgyzstan believes that the Chinese government and people have the capacity to safeguard the social stability in Tibet.

Tajik First Deputy Foreign Minister Abdullo Yuldoshev told Chinese ambassador to Tajikistan that his country strongly condemns the organizers and mobs who sparked the riots in Lhasa, firmly supports the measures by the Chinese government within the law to maintain social stability and strongly opposes the politicization of the Olympics.

Georgian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vashadze said his country believes that the riots in Lhasa will not affect the Beijing Olympics and the Georgian side will participate in the event as scheduled.

Syria condemned on Thursday the recent acts of sabotage in Lhasa and expressed solidarity with China in maintaining security and stability in Tibet.

"While Syria strongly condemns these acts and the circles standing behind them, it expresses solidarity with and stands by China in dealing with this situation and in maintaining security and stability in Tibet," the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Syria has followed with great concern the recent acts of sabotage committed by a few rioters in Lhasa, Tibet, which claimed several innocent lives and inflicted heavy damages on private and public property, said the statement.

Syria sees in these destructive acts an attempt to harm the unity of China's people and territorial integrity as well as an attempt to distort the great world festivity that is the Olympic Games and for which the government of China exerted all efforts to make it a success in cooperation with the international community, it added.

Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said his country supports China's dealing with the riots according to the rule of law.

It is necessary for China to take proper measures to safeguard national peace and stability, Bainimarama said in a letter to the Chinese government.

The Tibet issue is China's domestic affair and should be tackled by the China, he added.

Serbia on Thursday reiterated its support in principle to the one-China policy and respect for China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Serbia considers Tibet as China's interior matter and respects the Chinese government's policy toward Tibet as an autonomous region," the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The Zambian government denounced the ferocity of the rioters in Lhasa, hoping that stability would be restored soon.

Zambia is in favor of all countries loving peace taking part in the Beijing Olympic Games, it said in a statement.

Sierra Leone's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Zainab Hawa Bangura said on Tuesday that her country sees clearly the intention of the Dalai Lama clique to instigate violence in Tibet to promote separatism of the region, and to disturb the Beijing Olympics.

Meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone, Bangura said that her country supports the Chinese government's measures adopted in dealing with the violence, and added that she believes that the Beijing Olympics will be a great success.

A Benin government spokesperson strongly condemned the violence which was planned and instigated by Dalai Lama, saying that Dalai Lama uses these despicable methods to separate China and destroy the Olympic Games to be hosted by Beijing in August.

The spokesperson said that the violence and the criminal acts by the separatists have clearly proved that the slogans "peace" and "non-violence" proclaimed by the Dalai Lama are lies.

Some ambassadors from African countries to China also sent messages to the Chinese Foreign Ministry that the African countries uphold the one-China policy and support Chinese government's efforts in safeguarding national unity and social stability. They are opposed to all actions which try to politicize the Olympic Games.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization issued a statement expressing its support for the necessary measures adopted by the Chinese government in stopping criminal actions and maintaining stability in Tibet.

The statement said Tibet is an inalienable part of China and opposes anybody using violence to meet their political aims. It said that the organization believes that the Chinese government and people are capable of hosting a great Olympics for the world.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2008)