Published by: World Tibet Network News, Tuesday, October 29, 1996

BUDAPEST, Oct 28 (Reuter) - The Dailai Lama said on Monday that persuasion rather than pressure was the way to achieve Tibet's quest for autonomy from China.

"Ultimately, pressure indicates some sort of violence," the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader told a news conference in Budapest where the conservative opposition party MDNP announced the creation of a Tibet support group made up of Hungarian members of parliament.

The Dalai Lama also said that, despite a recent hardening in China's stance over Tibetan self-rule, he hoped a solution could be found.

"Sooner or later they will have to find a constructive way to deal with these problems," he said, adding that "the present Chinese policy is not in the interest of China itself."

China last week lodged a strong protest with the European Union over a meeting between officials of the European Parliament and the Dalai Lama.

On Monday, the Dalai Lama said in Budapest the essence of Tibet's request was that China should deal with foreign affairs and defence, leaving Tibetans to manage all other fields.

The religious leader fled Tibet in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and won the Nobel Peace Prize 30 years later for his peaceful campaign for his nation's autonomy.