Eutelsat, a Paris-based satellite company, pressured by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), may not renew the contract with the New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) this Friday, terminating its satellite transmission of NTDTV programs to Mainland China. As the April 15 deadline nears, more and more governments, media, human rights groups, and people around the world are expressing concern over this issue. At the same time, conspiracies and plots behind the scene pop up.
On April 13, Wall Street Journal reporters Murray Hiebert and Andy Pasztor published an article titled "Eutelsat's Chinese Aims Hit Static, French Satellite Firm Finds Outcry Complicates Strategy For Bargaining With Beijing." According to this report, "Eutelsat from the outset envisioned using NTDTV as a pawn that could be sacrificed."
In the "Munich Conspiracy"(the Munich Agreement in 1938), France and England made the dishonorable and ineffective decision to betray and abandon other countries in order to pacify Germany. Today, we see this French satellite company making the same mistake: attempting to coerce the American government, sacrificing United States' free media- NTDTV, and flattering the Chinese Communist Party, to seek personal gain; in reality, this is exactly like how Chamberlain betrayed Czechoslovakia to maintain British interests in Europe.
Hiebert and Pasztor's article disclosed that Eutelsat wanted to use its one-year agreement with NTDTV as leverage to win business deals with Chinese authorities; "Last May, just weeks after Eutelsat began broadcasting NTDTV, a Beijing-owned satellite company sent it a stern warning about continuing the programming. Eutelsat signaled its willingness to cut its ties with NTDTV." Thereafter, Eutelsat and China signed important and lucrative contracts. But today, Eutelsat wants to use "commercial rationale" as the reason to end its contract with NTDTV.
It is not difficult to see that the Paris-based Eutelsat, controlled by private-equity groups, has always been drooling over the CCP's money. The CCP entices Western companies with economic incentives at the expense of their principles, and so Eutelsat is pulled bit by bit under the water.
The article also reveals that, according to internal Pentagon e-mails, "Eutelsat has told the U.S. government that it can retain NTDTV only if Washington buys more capacity on its satellites."
Over 60 members of the European Parliament signed a letter to the president of Eutelsat, saying that Eutelsat should "maintain our joint commitment to fundamental European values and agreements so that this 'open satellite window' continues to grow wider," The European Union Green party, Reporters Without Borders, the International Federation of Journalists, a former French minister for culture and education, an Italian congressmen, etc. all sent letters to the president of Eutelsat and the directors of its various departments. They appealed to Eutelsat to respect free media and the free flow of information, to uphold justice and to support freedom of speech, to renew NTDTV's contract, and to guarantee that, via Eutelsat W5, NTDTV can continue its broadcasts to Asia
I n the united States, ninety-three congressmen from both parties signed a letter to President Bush requesting him to exert pressure on Eutelsat. The letter states, "We see no reason the U.S. taxpayer should fund satellite companies that won't stand up for freedom of the press, and instead discriminate in favor of repressive regimes and against free media." Because the American government has over ten million dollars in contracts with Eutelsat, Americans are paying close attention to whether the fundamental beliefs of their nation will be trampled by Eutelsat's actions, and whether, against their will, they are providing a gateway for appeasement.
You stand at the crossroad, Eutelsat; please return to the road of freedom and justice. The Munch Conspiracy cannot be repeated!
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