The leader of the Tibet government has said the Dalai Lama is welcome to return to China if he stops his efforts for independence. In an interview with the Japanese media, Gyalcan Norbu, the chairman of the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region said: "So long as the Dalai recognizes that Tibet is an inalienable part of the motherland and gives up moves for independence he will be welcome to return to the motherland to do something useful in Tibet's development." He accused the Dalai Lama of instigating unrest and said, "he has carried out splittist activities mainly in the form of creating unrest and trouble, with the connivance of international anti-China forces".

[The following is a text of a report on the interview carried by Xinhua news agency]

Lhasa, 6th August: Gyalcan Norbu, chairman of the [government of] Tibet Autonomous Region, was interviewed yesterday [5th August] afternoon by resident correspondents in Beijing from eight news institutions, including Japan's `Yomiuri Shimbun', `Asahi Shimbun', and Kyodo News Service.

In touching on the question of national division and the specific situation of the 11th Panchen [Lama] raised by a Kyodo reporter, Gyalcan Norbu said in reply: The Dalai [Lama] is the chief boss [Chinese: zong tou zi 4920 7333 1311] of the efforts to split Tibet from the motherland. Since he fled the country in 1959, the Dalai has never ceased his efforts to split the motherland. Since the 1980s, he has carried out splittist activities mainly in the form of creating unrest and trouble, with the connivance of international anti-China forces. They were opposed by the people.

Since the 1990s, the Dalai has carried out splittist activities in such forms as "pushing forward with peace", "a noncooperative movement", and "determination by the entire people". All this was his wishful thinking. The people saw through it, and so it did not get anywhere. The facts have proven: The Dalai clique has carried out some bombing activities and are still attempting to carry out some assassination activities. The general situation in Tibet at present is stable but it should not be ruled out that the Dalai clique will carry out some other activities.

Since the 11th Panchen was enthroned, he has been supported by the broad mass of religious believers. His main task at present is to study Buddhist doctrine, rules, and creed. He himself has expressed his willingness to study hard and be a living Buddha who loves the country and religion.

Although he is still very young, he is modest and intelligent and has won respect from Buddhist masters and the broad mass of monks and laymen.

In answering an `Asahi Shimbun' reporter's question, Gyalcan Norbu said: In the last three decades or so since the Dalai fled the country, he has never ceased his activities to split the motherland. Manipulated by the international anti-China forces, he mistakenly estimated the situation and brought calamity to the country, Tibet, and religion by making use of the Panchen reincarnation issue. Despite this, the central government's policy towards the Dalai is relatively clear-cut: So long as the Dalai recognizes that Tibet is an inalienable part of the motherland and gives up moves for independence he will be welcome to return to the motherland to do something useful in Tibet's development. This is our consistent policy. However, it will not do to strive for independence, half independence, or independence in a disguised form. The Dalai's request for dialogue is in essence for creating opinions in the international community and for propaganda purposes. In terms of the current situation, the Dalai clique does

not really have sincerity for dialogue.