By Tendar Tsering
DHARAMSHALA, June 21:Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Wednesday said that there was “not much” to discuss with China, unless Beijing adopts a realistic stance on Tibet.
The Dalai Lama who is in London on a 15-day European tour said that Beijing is only interested in imposing its will and his continued attempts at convincing the Chinese leadership that he is not fighting for independence have been “useless.”
“The issue is (the people’s) basic right. In future, unless they start a realistic approach for the Tibetan problem inside Tibet, there’s not much to discuss,” the Dalai Lama told Reuters in an interview at Britain’s houses of parliament.
“We both have mantras to recite. My mantra is ‘We are not seeking independence’. The Chinese mantra is ‘Tibet is always part of China’. I think the real effect of both mantras is limited,” the Dalai Lama said.
“This is not a question of convincing. I think they feel it is easier just to suppress.”
Amidst the ongoing wave of self-immolations in Tibet, the Dalai Lama’s Special Envoy Gyari Lodoe and Envoy Kalsang Gyaltsen resigned earlier this month.
The two Envoys, who have led nine rounds of talks with the People’s Republic of China since 2002, cited the deteriorating situation inside Tibet and their “utter frustration” over the lack of positive response from the China as reasons for their decision.
“Given the deteriorating situation inside Tibet since 2008 leading to the increasing cases of self-immolations by Tibetans, we are compelled to submit our resignations,” Gyari and Gyaltsen said in their resignation letter.
In the latest incident of Tibet’s fiery protests, two young Tibetans, Ngawang Norphel and Tenzin Khedup set themselves ablaze yesterday in Keygudo, eastern Tibet calling for Tibet’s independence and the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
However, in the interview, the Dalai Lama expressed hope that Chinese leadership will take a new and different approach under its new president.
Xi Jinping, China’s vice-president is certain to take over the reins from Hu Jintao next year.
“I hope Mr Xi Jinping, a new leader, new blood, looks in a more open, realistic way,” the Dalai Lama said.
Urging Xi to follow the footsteps of Chinese former leader Deng Xiaoping, the Dalai Lama said that the Chinese government has to move ahead along with the world.
“Deng Xiaoping said: ‘Seek truth from facts’. Then he followed the capitalist road for economic reasons. Now the political system – I think the time has now come to seek truth from facts,” the 76-year old Tibetan leader said.
