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

BEIJING, Oct 29 (AFP) - China warned France Tuesday against any official contact with the Dalai Lama while the Tibetan spiritual leader is in France.

"France has assured us that the visit of the Dalai Lama has no official character," said Shen Guogfang, a spokesman for the foreign ministry.

"We hope that the French authorities will respect the agreement between us, in regard to their promises on the subject of this visit," he said at a regular news conference.

"Otherwise, our relations will be affected," he said.

The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace prize in 1989, began a three-day visit to France on Monday during which he will address the French National Assembly.

The French foreign ministry has taken pains to describe the trip as "pastoral," calling instead for "constructive dialogue" between China and Tibet over human rights and the vexed question of Tibet's status.

Beijing, which has ruled Tibet since 1950, has already condemned a visit by the exiled spiritual leader to the European parliament in Strasbourg as "gross interference" in its internal affairs.

Shen also discounted the Dalai Lama's statement in France that he was not calling for Tibet's independence or separation from Beijing but only for increased autonomy.

"We have our own contact channels with the Dalai Lama and he has never officially made it known that he has renounced his independence demands," Shen said.

"If now the Dalai Lama proclaims everywhere that he no longer demands independence, then it is to better deceive public opinion and western governments," he said.

"On this point, the position of the Chinese government is very clear: the doors of negotiations will open as soon as the Dalai Lama renounces independence" for Tibet, Shen added.