World Tibet Network News Tuesday, February 03, 1998

Bhopal, (PTI) 31st January: The Tibetan religious leader Dalai Lama on Saturday [31st january] said he did not stand for independence of his country but for autonomy of Tibetans within the Chinese system.

The Tibetan leader in exile told a press conference at Raj Bhavan here that autonomy for the Tibetans within China should come about through negotiations.

He said he had been maintaining direct contact with Chinese leaders from 1979, but it came to an end in August, 1993. "Since August 1993, I have had no direct dealings with them," he added.

The Dalai Lama said though some radical Tibetans were in favour of using arms against the Chinese, he was against this idea.

"Use of arms by Tibetans against the Chinese is impossible and amounted in practical terms to suicide as Tibetans would not be able to defeat the Chinese," he said.

The Tibetan leader said following his numerous visits to the USA, that country had appointed a negotiator to facilitate talks between the Chinese and the Tibetans.

He said this negotiator was yet to begin his work and hoped that the move would lead to some positive results.

He said the Chinese authorities were both intentionally and unintentionally trying to undermine the Tibetans living in China.

The Dalai Lama said the Chinese population was gradually increasing in Tibetan colonies.

"In Tibetan towns, Chinese are turning into the majority community while Tibetans are being reduced to a minority."