Published by: World Tibet Network News Sunday, September 21, 1997

T H E D A L A I L A M A

Hello I'm Philippe Noubel and welcome to this special edition of Inside China Today for the European Internet Network. We are here in Lany castle near Prague in the Czech Republic for a special interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Philippe Noubel:

I know that you are familiar with the Internet. Would you like to take the opportunity and deliver a message for the world audience? It could be in English or it could also be in Tibetan.

Dalai Lama:

I always keep in my mind three points. One point, number one that is as a human being I believe the entire humanity has the responsibility about future of the humanity. Of course prayer, meditation is useful, but the... action and motivation is more important. So, therefore, we need the sense of global responsibility and with that we have to develop or promote the sense of compassion, the sense of caring for one another that usually I call secular ethics or basic human values.

We need more efforts to promote this. I think we, humanity, generally speaking, I think we are too much involved in technology -- all these signs and these feelings. We sometimes neglect our inner deeper values, as a result -- endless problems that are happening. So, therefore, the material element and spiritual or basic inner human values, this must go more valuable. This I feel is very, very important so I always try to promote the basic human values. Irrespective of whether you're a believer or a non believer.

Then the second point: I'm a Buddhist monk and, moreover, I have the name of Dalai Lama, one of the leaders of the Lamaist Buddhist as a community. With that I should be proud. I obviously realize feelings, (the) importance of the promotion of harmony, religious, close relations (to) one another on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual respect. I always try to promote this understanding between different traditions. In this field I feel that I've made some contribution. So it needs the promotion of spiritual pluralism -- in the Buddhist tradition, of course. (In) the individual case, it is very important for one religion, one church, but in the society, in terms of this society, of humanity, we need spiritual pluralism in its tradition.

That Tibetan issue -- as the Dalai Lama I have a responsibility, not only historically but also to the people of Tibet. They are putting lots of trust on me so therefore I have the moral responsibility. Now I feel the best way to solve our problems is talk; dialogue, true dialogue. And certainly we can find (a) mutually agreeable solution and that is not only our own interest but also in the interest of the People's Republic of China as a whole. And concerning independence: I really feel that even from our own interest, viewpoint that Tibet, (a) landlocked country, (with a) small population and large area and quite rich natural resources and materially backward, so communication is also difficult. So under that circumstances, if we join a big nation it might be greater benefit for us. So, therefore, I, since around 1973 I set up or I make up in my mind. And ultimately with a discussion of my close colleagues, associates, officials we make this possible, (this) mutual approach. So up to now our own efforts ha

ve not bring success, so therefore because of (a) lack of progress I'm appealing to the international community and also our Chinese brothers and sisters to please help us to materialize, (to) talk face to face with Chinese officials and Chinese governments, just to talk. Through frank talks -- even argument instead of criticism or propaganda -- but just to talk, that I think is the only to clear all this misunderstanding and ignorance. So therefore once more I want to appeal to our friends and supporters and particularly our Chinese brothers and sisters -- please help us to materialize meaningful dialogue with (the) Chinese government.