Brussels, June 2, 2006: Although many faces pass through its doors, it is not every week that the Parliament plays host to someone considered a living god by his followers. On Wednesday the 
Dalai Lama brought a mixture of spirituality and politics to Parliament when he met MEPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee and later Parliament’s President to discuss the situation in Tibet and relations with China. His message was “patience” with China and protection of religious freedom and Tibet’s “ancient, compassionate culture”.
On relations with China – which claims sovereignty over Tibet – his message was conciliatory. He told MEPs that “Tibet is not seeking separation from China” and offered the model of Scotland or Quebec as an example of the type of autonomy Tibet seeks. Ironically, he felt the emergence of China as a global economic power provided an opportunity as; “in order to become a genuine superpower, China needs respect from the rest of the world, – it needs moral authority”. He favours globalisation as it increases contact between nations and he said he was “one of the admirers of the EU…If you look after others’ interests, you get benefits”.
After talks with the Dalai Lama, President Borrell pledged that he would visit the Tibetan capital Lhasa “to see for myself the situation in Tibet” during his official visit to China in July. He praised the work of the Dalai Lama as “an example of committed and peaceful campaigning”. He also reiterated that “the European Parliament has continuously raised its concerns about the unresolved political situation in Tibet and on-going human rights issues there.”
He pointed to a Parliamentary Resolution in December last year that called on the Union to make the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue more effective in order to “bring about a substantial improvement in the poor human rights record of China”. This reinforces a Resolution from April 2002 which demanded the Chinese Government to “respect and protect the religious and cultural identity of the people of Tibet”.
In exile since 1959, the Dalai Lama has led an international campaign against Chinese political and cultural domination of Tibet. The EU has always supported direct dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese authorities (who see the issue as a strictly internal affair) as the best way towards a settlement. Tibetan intermediaries have held talks with Chinese representatives since 2002 without tangible result.
The visit was characterised by good humour: before leaving, the leader of Tibet’s Buddhists offered some advice on the key to happiness that even the Chinese leadership would agree with, “keep your peace of mind, less stress and worry.”
