Saturday, 15-Jun-2002

REYKJAVIK, June 15 (AFP) - Police had to disperse followers of the Falun Gong [group] as visiting Chinese President Jiang spent his second day in Iceland visiting tourist sites.

Police evacuated several members and Icelandic supporters of Falun Gong, [...]when Jiang arrived at the Geysir natural spring.

Several hundred Falun Gong [practitioners], who claim their movement is subject to severe repression in China where their [group] is outlawed, were refused entry to Iceland this week, [...] nearly 1,000 [people] demonstrated Friday in front of the parliament building.

Jiang had to change his schedule Friday because of the demonstrations, but still held talks on human rights with Icelandic officials.

Protestors also gathered Friday evening in front of Perland, the official residence of President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who was holding an official dinner with Jiang and his wife.

The Chinese leader reportedly surprised all in attendance when he rose from his seat to sing in the middle of dinner.

Jiang is to leave Iceland on Sunday for Lithuania.

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/da/Qiceland-china.RhNG_CuF.html