Published by: World Tibet Network News, Monday, October 28, 1996

By Tersa Poole - Peking

The Independent - London, 25 October 1996

Nothing so infuriates China's leaders as the sight of the glo-betrotting Dalai Lama striding onto the international stage to argue his case. Yesterday it was the European Parliament's turn to feel Peking's wrath.

Strasbourg had this week "provided a platform for the Dalai Lama's splittist activities to split the motherland", thun-dered the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Shen Guofang.

The Dalai Lama's meeting with European Parliament officials on Wednesday was the latest in a series of international platforms for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader this year. Last month he met the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. Last July, he met the British Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind.

Each time the Dalal Lama receives a warm official reception, Peking expresses its outrage with a torrent of abuse. After the meeting with Mr Howard, the top party official in Tibet described the Dalai Lama as "the number one criminal of political separatists who are pushing for the splitting of China".

Yet in all his meetings with foreigners, the Dalai Lama comes across as the very model of restraint. Last Wednesday in Strasbourg he accused Peking of increasing repression. But he said he remained committed to seeking talks with Peking, and would not necessarily reject any political compromise which would give Tibet autonomy rather than full independence. Nor did he support the idea of economic sanctions against China.

The Dalai Lama will continue his measured diplomacy. But in the eyes of Peking, one visit would represent the most irritating conjunction of rogues. This concerns the recent discussion in Taiwan of whether Taipei should extend an invitation to the Tibetan spiritual leader. That would really incense China.