Dharamsahala, October 29. In a long interview with a corrispondent of the Deutsche Presse-Agentur the Dalai Lama said, "I'd love to be a simple monk... or just visiting old friends all over the world would also be nice. The situation in Tibet seems to be hopeless but I am an optimist. The situation will not remain like this forever". Talking about his proposal of a real autonomy for his country, the Tibetan leader declared, "I have said it openly. My policy of adopting the moderate path, that is of aiming at comprehensive autonomy for Tibet within the People's Republic of China while leaving defence and foreign affairs in Beijing's hands has failed and it has failed because China does not want to talk to us". Regarding the possibility of a new political approch the Dalai Lama explained, "We will hold a referendum. We have sources even in Tibet, by which it will be possible to include our countrymen there in the survey. Everyone will be asked on how we are to proceed next. My moderate path will be one option,

struggling for independence a second, plebiscite a third. But we are working on other options. And of course, we will continue to appeal to the international community to curb the alienation of Tibet through the increasing influence of Chinese culture". Answering to a question of the journalist regarding the possibility of a Tibet without the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader said, "But of course it is possible to imagine a Tibet without the Dalai Lama, why shouldn't it be? The Lama institution is unimportant. What is important is the preservation of Tibetan-Buddhist culture". The Dalai Lama also points to how after over 40 years of socialism, "a spiritually impoverished China is searching for its soul even in the midst of economic changes. He tells of Dalai Lama pictures in the living-rooms of Chinese communist party functionaries and of insightful letters written by dissidents to him from all over China. New Buddhist shrines are reportedly springing into existence all over China and the Dalai Lama also point

s to the renaissance of Christianity in Shanghai and other cities. "China is surrounded by Buddhism and it is no alien religion to the Chinese.Mongolia is Buddhist and so are the Russian republics of Buryatskaya and Tuva. Taiwan and Tibet are Buddhist. Buddhists are peace loving. A free Tibet would not have an army and would be at peace with the world and the environment. It would also act as a buffer zone between India and China and save both countries enormous defence expenditure. If Tibet survives today, it will not only be an important country in future but also important for the future of mankind," he concluded. (EuroTibet News N·4)