Beijing, 12th November: The candidates for the reincarnated child for the Panchen Lama are fully qualified for the drawing of lots from a gold urn to confirm the soul boy because they have been selected in accordance with religions rituals and the historical convention -

The third meeting of the Leading Group for Locating the Reincarnated Boy for the Panchen Lama asked the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region to submit the list of the candidates to the State Council for approval after deliberation.

The meeting, held here from 8th to 11th November and attended by members of its consulting group and representatives from the religious circles, reviewed the course of searching for the reincarnated boy in the past six years and discussed major issues concerning the location and confirmation of the soul boy.

Participants at the meeting agreed to confirm the three candidates for the reincarnated child for the Panchen Lama, chosen by the Zhaxi Lhunbo [Tashilhunpo] Lamasery in accordance with religious rituals and the historical convention. They also called for faster confirmation of the child.

People from the religious circles attending the meeting expressed their appreciation of the great concern shown by the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council over the searching of the reincarnated boy.

Senior Lamas of the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery said that the search for the reincarnated child has reflected the good wish of the party and central government for the Tibetan people, as well as their support for development and progress in the Tibetan-inhabited areas.

After the 10th Panchen Lama died, the party and central government allocated a huge sum of money for building a stupa to preserve his remains and search started for the reincarnated child. No other Panchen Lamas in history were given so much importance by the central government as the 10th Panchen Lama, said the lamas.

The people from the religious circles pointed out that like other religions in the country, Tibetan Buddhism should be practised to safeguard the people's interests, national unification and unity among all ethnic groups, and should abide by relevant laws and regulations.

The location and confirmation of the reincarnated boy must proceed in accordance with the religious rituals, especially the practice of drawing lots from a gold urn. The confirmed reincarnated boy must obtain approval from the central government, they stared.

They criticized Dalai Lama for interfering in the location of the soul boy and his vicious intention of disrupting Tibet's stability and undermining China's national unity through religious means. They said that they would not recognize the reincarnated boy for Panchen Lama chosen by the Dalai Lama.

The act of Dalai in choosing a reincarnated child through fraud violated the cardinal principles of Buddhism. The so-called reincarnated child therefore fails to meet the conditions for the soul boy, they said.

"What Dalai has done has revealed his political reactionary nature and his hypocrisy in terms of religion, they stressed.

They pledged to make concerted and continuous efforts under the guidance of the instructions of President Jiang Zemin and to accomplish the sacred task of confirming the reincarnated child at an early date.

Source; Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 1000 gmt 12 Nov 95