Text of report by Taiwan Central news agency

Taipei, 5th January: Private religious groups will be allowed to invite the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, to visit Taiwan in the capacity of a religious leader. This decision was reached at an interdepartmental meeting held on Saturday [4th January], government sources said.

Chang King-yuh, chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, confirmed on Sunday that the government has reached a consensus on the Dalai Lama's possible visit. If the Dalai Lama agrees to visit Taiwan, Chang said, it will be considered a religious or cultural event and will carry no political implications.

"Our policy of pursuing peaceful national reunification is crystal clear. And we hope mainland China will not politicize the Dalai Lama's possible visit to Taiwan," Chang said. The Cabinet's top mainland policy planner continued that Beijing should not interpret approval of the visit as a move to support Tibet's independence. "If the Dalai Lama visits Taiwan, he will come as a religious leader," Chang added.

Saturday's meeting was attended by officials from the Presidential Office, Executive Yuan, National Security Bureau, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission and the Mainland Affairs Council.

The Foreign Ministry participant was quoted as saying at the meeting that the government need not prohibit private religious groups from inviting the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan simply for fear of Beijing's indignation.

The Republic of China [ROC] is an independent sovereign country and its constitution upholds freedom of religion, the official said, adding that the Dalai Lama has visited many democratic countries to preach his faith as a religious leader. "We have no reason to deny his visit."

Although some observers worry that the Dalai Lama's presence may further worsen the already strained relations with mainland China, all participants in Saturday's meeting agreed that private religious groups should be allowed to host the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader's Taipei visit.

It was also decided at the meeting that the interior ministry's Civil Affairs Department will form a special task force to handle related affairs and the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission will not be involved in the issue.

With the government's position being clearly stated, the ROC Buddhists Association said it will now take concrete steps to push for realization of the Dalai Lama's visit at an earlier date.

Master Ching Hsin, president of the ROC Buddhists Association, extended an invitation to the Dalai Lama last September when they met in Australia. The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner promised at that time that he may visit Taiwan in 1997, either in spring or in autumn.

Source: Central News Agency, Taipei, in English 1045 gmt 5 Jan 97