Published by World Tibet Network News - Tuesday, March 25, 1997

TAIPEI, March 24 (AFP) - The Dalai Lama on Monday urged China to hold talks saying he was ready to discuss the future of Tibet without any pre-conditions, warning that without some kind of freedom Tibetan Buddhism culture would die.

"It is my position that as soon as some positive indication or response comes from mainland China I am ready to talk without any pre-condition," the exiled Tibetan leader told a packed press conference here.

"Of course we are trying to reach a mutually agreed solution with the PRC," he said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

Chinese troops marched into Tibet in 1951 and violently suppressed an uprising eight years later when the Dalai Lama fled his country.

Since then the Tibetan government in exile has lived in northern India, and the Dalai Lama's trip to Taiwan marks the first time in at least 40 years that he has visited a Chinese society.

"I consider my involvement in the Tibetan freedom struggle is part of my spiritual practice," he told the meeting.

"Until some degree of freedom or autonomy materialises, sooner or later Tibetan Buddhist culture will die. This is not party politics, or power politics."

The offer of talks was a repeat of a five-point plan that the Dalai Lama published in 1987 offering to discuss with Beijing the question of Tibetan autonomy.

The softening of the stance also led to a thaw in ties with Taiwan and was seen by observers as a signal to the nationalist government that the two sides might be able to forge ties.

China has never officially responded to the plan, and in recent weeks it has stepped up a verbal barrage against the nationalist island and the spiritual leader for staging the unprecedented six-day trip.

It has accused its two arch foes of plotting to divide the motherland, and in a move which may be linked it was reported here Monday that it was planning to hold war games in southeast China next month. The report was denied in Beijing by the defence ministry.

But the Dalai Lama reacted strongly to Beijing's accusations that his trip to Taiwan was a conspiracy, and told reporters he had informed the Chinese government well in advance of his plans.

"My position is clear. I am not seeking independence although Tibet is historically a separate country," he said, adding that he was seeking genuine autonomy.

"My main concern is not just the political status self-rule, autonomy or independence. I do not consider this the most important thing. The most important thing is the preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture," he added.

And he repeated his vow to resign as the political leader of Tibet once his exiled government returns to their homeland to allow free elections to take place.

"As soon as we return to Tibet I will resign" as political head, he said. "The head of the local government should be an elected official," he added, stressing he would retain his role as the head of the Tibetan Buddhists.

At the moment the government in exile is a theocracy where the religious and political leadership are one and the same.

He also laughingly denied Beijing's accusations that he was a splittist.

"At the moment my every movement is considered that of a splittist ... Please carefully check my activities whether I'm following a splittist (path) or not."

But in a stern warning to the press he said: "I do not want this visit to be politicised, if you politicise, it neither benefits me or you."

And he voiced optimism though that his visit would have benefits in the long run despite some negative reaction.

He also admitted that in the past the Tibetans had had a negative image of Taiwan, which retains a claim over Tibet as part of Chinese territory.

Today he believed there was a more sincere attitude shown by the leadership towards the Tibetans.