Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday March 10th 1996

By Narayanan Madhavan

NEW DELHI, March 9 (Reuter) - Democracy in Taiwan would fuel democratic aspirations in China and lead inevitably to an open society on the mainland, Tibet's Nobel laureate spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said on Saturday.

"The impressive democratisation process across the Taiwan Strait, must further invigorate the democratic aspirations of the Chinese people," the Buddhist monk said.

The Nobel peace prize winner's predictions came as China announced on Saturday a set of live-firing military exercises in the seas between the mainland and Taiwan. The exercises follow Chinese missile tests just off Taiwan on Friday.

The Dalai Lama made his comments in a statement on the eve of the thirty seventh anniversary of Tibet's uprising against Chinese rulers, which falls on Sunday. China annexed Tibet in 1950.

"Indeed, Taiwan's historic first direct presidential elections later this month are certain to have an immense political and psychological impact on their (Chinese people's) minds," the Dalai Lama said.

"A transformation from the current totalitarian regime in Beijing into one which is more open, free and democratic is thus inevitable," he said.

Beijing's policies were hardening, he said. "This is reflected in an increasingly aggressive posture towards the peoples of Taiwan and HongKong and intensified repression in Tibet," he said.

The Dalai Lama lives in self-imposed exile in India after he fled Chinese rule in 1959 following the failed uprising in his homeland situated across the Himalayas.

He lives in Dharamsala, a northern Indian town in the lap of the Himalayan mountains close to the border, and guides some 100,000 Tibetan refugees and a parliament in exile.

The Dalai Lama said a properly negotiated settlement with Tibetans would have strong impact on HongKong and Taiwan and also improve relations with India, with which China shares uneasy relations since the two fought a border war in 1962.

"As a human being, it is my sincere desire that our Chinese brothers and sisters enjoy freedom, democracy, prosperity and stability," he said adding that as a Buddhist monk, he hoped for peaceful change in China.

He blamed the communist government led by Deng Xiaoping for not responding to his overtures for a solution to the Tibetan problem, to resolve which he said he had adopted a moderate "middle way."

"As the past has clearly shown, neither intimidation nor coercion of the Tibetan people can force a solution," the Dalai Lama said.

He said he encouraged Tibetans to develope close relations with the Chinese people, whom he distinguished from the Beijing government.

"With my homage to the brave men and women of Tibet, who have died for the cause of our freedom, I pray for an early end to the suffering of our people," the Dalai Lama said.

REUTER