Dalai Lama Renews Commitment to keep Tibet Part of China

March 10, 2005

Source: Yahoo! News

Wire Service: AFP

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1529&ncid=1529&e=9&u=/afp/20050310/wl_asia_afp/indiatibetchinadalai_050310083735

On March 10, 2005 Agence France-Presse reported, "Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has renewed his commitment not to seek the independence of Tibet from China, in an address marking the 46th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

'As long as I am responsible for the affairs of Tibet we remain fully committed to ... not seeking independence for Tibet and (are) willing to remain within the People's Republic of China,' he said.

The Dalai Lama fled into exile in India in 1959 after the uprising and established his government-in-exile in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala.

While he says he is seeking autonomy for Tibet within China, Beijing frequently accuses him of separatism and demands he definitively give up aspirations for independence and recognise Taiwan as part of China before a settlement can be reached."