here you have the transcription of the interview by Paolo Pietrosanti broadcasted by Radio Radicale in Italy (once it has been dubbed into Italian) to Mr Gyaltsen gyaltag, the Representative in Europe of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Representative in Europe of the Tibetan Government in exile.

NOTE that the transcription is the transcription of a radio programme, and it has not been read by Mr Gyaltag.

I decided to put it here because what mr Gyaltag says is not just interesting, but also important and encouraging for the next - intense - months of initiatives towards 1996.

Q.: Gyaltsen Gyaltag is the Representative in Europe of His Holiness the Dalai lama, and he represents in Europe the Tibetan Government in exile. We are very glad and happy to listen to the voice of Mr Gyaltag, he is an old friend, and all of us are old friends of the Tibetan cause. First of all we would like to have by you the latest informations about what is going to happen during the next days in India - and not anymore in Tibet - starting from March 10th.

A.: First of all, hello to you; I'm happy to be able to give you these informations.As you know, the Tibetan New Year started on March 2nd, and at the moment Tibetans all over the world are engaged in the celebrations of the New Year. On March 10th, on the day of the commemoration the national uprising which took place in 1959. which was suppressed by the Chinese troops. There will be, all over the world, wherever Tibetan communities live, and wherever friends live, there will be demonstrations and occasions to commemorate this historical day.

In Dharamsala His Holyness will be giving his annual speech to the Tibetan community in Dharamsala, and his speech will be distributed world-wide, which is one of the major political speechs he gives every year, indicating some new changes in the Tibetan policy.

As you know, initially the Tibetan people themselves, which means the Non Governmental Organizations, organized a peace march from the Indian capital New Delhi to the Tibetan capital Lhasa; but in due respect of recommandations and advices given by His Holyness the Dalai Lama to organizers, this peace march has been postponed.So, there will be a peace march, now taking place, starting from the 10th of March from Dharamsala to New Delhi, the Indian capital; and this march will last about 6 weeks, which means that they will be reaching the Indian capital around mid-April. And of course there will be a commemoration taking place at the arrival of the peace march from Dharamsala.

Q.: There have been some problems, and some attempt of DISIMFORMACJIA, which have been creating some fear. As we know, reading international press agencies, including the Tibetan in exile one, from Nepal came out the news accordin to which Tibetans dissidents were putting together weapons close to the border between China and Nepal. What about these rumors.

A.: I think theese are all rumors, and this information being spread by certain circles to discredit Tibetan people.There is not such an action being planned, the action by some Tibetan buying arms and sending them to Tibet. These are all rumors. As you know his Holiness the Dalai Lama is the recognized leader of all the Tibetan, and he has told the Tibetan that the Tibetan struggle must be based on nonviolence, which is one of the principles of the Buddhist religion. He had also told them that he is absolutely committed to the method of nonviolence, and that as soon as there will be violent accident, or the Tibetan will decide to use violence, he will give up his leadership of tibetan people. So, I think that it is very clear to the Tibetan people which the future course of our struggle should be. The Tibetan are strictly supporting this nonviolent part, and rumors indicating that Tibetan are involved in buying arms and sending them to Tibet is rumor, is malicious, and that there is the motivation to discre

dit the nonviolent movement of the Tibetan people.

Q.: Here in Radio Radicale we permitted to use the voice of the Dalai Lama to prepare a spot. We isolated his voice, out of our files, when he said "So, taht's why I always say: nonviolence, nonviolence". We are now broadcasting this phrase, pronunced by the Dalai Lama himself. We think this is very significant, being the Dalai Lama today not just a witness of the nonviolence, he is also a nonviolent leader, not just for Tibetans.

A.: You see, he has many reasons. First of all he is convinced that the basic human nature, or the basic question of the survival of the mankind is dependent on love and compassion for each other, and he has also long-term perspectives. He said: the Tibetan problem, that is the problem of the Tibetan people with the Chinese people, if this problem is solved by nonviolent means, then Tibetan people and Chinese people, which have been living as neiborough people for centuries, they will be able to live as neiborough friends also in the coming centuries. But if this problem is being solved by violent methods, then you saw heatred between two people, and heatred is a very bad element wich will not enable two neiborough people to live in peace in the future. That is convinction: only trough a nonviolent solution of the Tibetan people will make Tibetans and Chinese to live as peaceful neiborough people.

Q.: Nonviolence... which means also, or first of all, action. That's why Tibetans in exile are engaged in these days in mobilizations all over Europe and all over the World...

A.: Yes. Sometimes there is a misconception about the principles of nonviolence being considered as something passive. That is not the case. Nonviolence means also active action, while organizing demonstrations, panel discussions, initiatives, meetings. And I think that the last 35 years of the Tibetan struggle has proved taht this struggle based on nonviolence has not been a passive one, but a very active one. Also thanks to the support of many friends of Tibet, many political parties, and many people who are concerned about the situation in Tibet, like the Radical Party, which have contributed a lot to to this acttivity and action with the aim of rising and deepening the awareness of people, of the international community about the injustice and undemocratic and very repressive system which has been used by the Chinese government in Tibet.

Q.: We see a great problem in China, relating to the Tibetan situation. China is an enormous potential market. for western-European, American companies. Entering chinese market means conquer an enormous amount of buyers of any goods. The problem is probably in the international way how to intervene by political means, at the level of UN. The problem is to be able to push for an intervention by UN, by international juridical system.

A.: Yes, you are quite right saying that today in the international olitical scene the economical and trade factors are dominant factors. But, on the other hand I think that since the principles of international laws, which enable each countries to substain its own sovereignity, and development of its coltural identity, based on principles which are accepted by every countries adn people, like the Universal declaration of Human Rights, or the Political and civil rights covenant, or others, I think these are instruments which are helpful for solving problems. For example, you have mentioned the UN. Of course it is composed by bovernments, and they have their own national interests. but on the other hand there is also the international public opinion, which we have to take into consideration. And they cannot ignore facts, they cannot ignore suffering of people when it is made public, just because of political expedienty. Therefore, the UN ahve actually taken up the Tibetan issue; between 50s and 60s there were

2 resolution on Tibet adopted by UN General Assembly, demanding the respect for the fundamental human rights of Tibetans, including the right to selfdetermination. Then, constantly, for example in hte 80s and in hte 90s, there have been intervention at the III Commettee of the UN General Assembly in New York, by many governments, expressing their concern about the situation of human rights in Tibet. And The Tibetan Government has been bery active for example in the UN sub-commission for Human right since mid-80s. and in 1991 the UN sub-commission on human right adopted a resolution on the situation in tibet, expressing its concern about violations of human rights which threaten the survival of Tibetan culture and religion and national identity. And now, just in these days, Usa and UE have been working on a Resolution expressing its concern avout the continuing violation of fundametnal human right and basic freedom. And there is also a specific reference with regard to teh situation in Tibet; I've been work

ing with the delegates of the Usa and EU at the Session of the UN human rights commission, and we are quite optimist that this resolution has very good chances to pass - considered taht many vovernments do not vote politically, but they will give their vote according to the facts presented.

The vote on this resolution will take place on March 7th, and I hope that there will be some positive results.

But a part from the Resolution, there is a constant discussion on the Human rights situation in Tibet, also in these UN forums: we have been working very hardly and successfully in informing the delegates and NGOs. Especially NGOs, which have been very helpful for our cause. We have been able to sustain the issue of the deplorable human rights situation in Tibet, and of course we are determined to continue this work also in the future...

Q.: ...also, I think, proposing the conference between China and Tibet, sponsored and organized by UN - which is one of the goals of the current mobilizations.

A.: Yes. Well, as you know, Usa and EU, Norway, Australia, and many other countries have supported the proposal of his Holiness the Dalai lama to resolve the Tibetan problem by peaceful negotiations without pre-conditions. But unfortunately, from the Chinese side there has not been any positive response until now, and the situation in Tibet is getting quite desperate, and Tibetans are loosing their patience. This is also connected with the peace march initiated by by the Tibetan people in exile; as we have discussed it, His Holyness have adviced Uibetan to postpone this peace march, telling them that the time is not arrived yet, and when the time is arrived even he himself will leaad the peace march. so, tibetan have taken his advice into account, and have decided not to go on with the peace march from India to Lhasa, but that there will be in this time a march from Dharamsala to Delhi.

Q.: We, as nonviolent people, are engaged in promoting for hte next year that worldwide satyagraha which has been declared as very important by the Dalai Lama himself. So we are, I think, engaged together...

A.: Tibetan people are very appreciative of this support, and I'm sure that together we can make this world-vide satyagraha, gandhian nonviolent movement, active nonviolent movement, very successful, when it starts next year.

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the members of the Radical Party, especially Mr Marco Pannella, and Ms Emma Bonino, and all others who are engaged in this dynamic and very dedicated party which has been supporting not just the causes like the Tibetan cause, and also which advocates the abolition of hte death penalty, which is also in conformity with the Buddhist faith, which demands the respect for all living beings.