Dalai Lama to return if China agrees to honour rights of Tibetans

In a clear message to China, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today maintained that he would not return to his homeland unless China agreed to honour the rights of six million Tibetans worldwide.

Beijing established contacts with the Dalai Lama since 1980, the last in 2003, asking him to return (to Tibet). ''The issue is not about my going back. It is about the well-being of six million Tibetans,'' the Dalai Lama told reporters at the Tawang Monastery here on his arrival today.

''In the aftermath of my escape from Tibet in 1959, I had issued a statement (against China) at Tezpur (in Assam). The Chinese government reacted saying it was not mine but that of the officials of Tibet. I repeated that statement at Mussorie later,'' he said.

In the early part of 1980, the Buddhist spiritual leader said, China first established contact with him offering him a five-point proposal to return to Tibet. ''The Chinese Government also offered to send an official to New Delhi to take me back, but I refused,'' he said.

China re-established contact in 1993 but there was no headway in the talks. ''We renewed direct contact again in 2002 with Beijing making a fresh offer for my return. But I told them that the issue is not of my return but that of the well-being of six million Tibetans spread worldwide,'' the Dalai Lama said.

''When everything failed, China intensified acquisition from April-May 2006,'' he added.

On Chinese protest over his visit to Arunachal, His Holiness said that it was usual on part of Beijing to protest against his movement everywhere.

''Their protest is baseless as my visit is purely religious and apolitical,'' he said, adding, he is overwhelmed to visit Arunachal which reminded him of his escape route from Tibet during 1959.

-- (UNI) -- 08CA23.xml

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