Beijing tells
Dalai Lama to ask for forgiveness, abandon
separatism
(04-15
15:44)
Beijing threw cold water on the possibility of re-launching talks
with the Dalai Lama, saying in a white paper that the issue of
greater autonomy for Tibet was “not up for discussion.’’
The statement comes months after the exiled spiritual leader and
Nobel prize winner expressed optimism that President Xi Jinping may
be open to re-starting dialogue.
In its nearly 18,000-word white paper, the State Council
Information Office, declared that the Dalai Lama must focus on
seeking “forgiveness'' from the Chinese government.
“Any negotiations will be limited to seeking solutions for the
Dalai Lama to completely abandon separatist claims and activities
and gain the forgiveness of the central government and the Chinese
people, and to working out what he will do with the rest of his
life,’’ the white paper said.
“As the political status and system of Tibet is stipulated by the
Chinese Constitution and laws, the 'Tibet issue' and 'a high degree
of autonomy' are not up for discussion,'' it added.
The ruling Communist Party held nine rounds of dialogue with the
Dalai Lama's envoys from 2002 to 2010 but the process produced no
visible results.
The Dalai Lama has previously expressed optimism about the current
administration in Beijing.
The 79-year-old Buddhist leader denies aspirations for independence
and says he only wants the area to have more autonomy.
In a December interview with France 24 television, he described Xi
as a “realist'' who was being held back by elements within the
Communist Party.
But the white paper is a signal that Beijing will continue to take
a hard-line approach to the issue.
It stated that Beijing will only hold talks with “private
representatives'' of the Dalai Lama, rather than members of the
Tibetan government-in-exile, which it described as “essentially a
separatist political group.’’
The white paper also called on the monk to “put aside his illusions
in his remaining years'' and “do something of benefit to overseas
Tibetan compatriots in exile.’’
“The wheels of history roll forward and the tides of the times are
irresistible,'' it stated. ``Tibet's path of development is one
imposed by history and chosen by the people.''
The 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising
against Chinese rule and has lived in exile in India ever
since.—AFP