Melody in Prison: Ngawang Choephel
	UPDATE 20 September 1999

The following story was released by ABC Newswire, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

(STATEWIDE) -- The Vermont delegation to the recent Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in New Zealand took the opportunity to talk with Chinese officials about releasing a former Middlebury College student. Ngawang Choephel was a Fulbright Scholar at Middlebury, when he returned to his native Tibet in 1995 to film a music and dance documentary. While there, he was accused of spying by the Chinese and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Members of Senator James Jeffords' delegation in New Zealand say the Chinese indicated they may be willing to reopen discussions about Choephel.