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China refuses to budge on Tibet amid talks

AFP

The Dalai Lama during a function in Dharamshala on 20 November 2008. China accused the Dalai Lama on Friday of covertly campaigning for Tibetan independence, maintaining its hardline opposition to his approach as Tibetan exiles met in India.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

China accused the Dalai Lama on Friday of covertly campaigning for Tibetan independence, maintaining its hardline opposition to his approach as Tibetan exiles met in India.

In a long commentary published by the official Xinhua news agency that appeared timed to coincide with the exiles’ meeting, the Dalai Lama’s repeated insistence that he is only seeking autonomy was again flatly rejected.

“Its purpose is to set up a ‘half independent’ or ‘covertly independent’ political entity controlled by the Dalai clique on one quarter of the Chinese territory,” the commentary said of the Dalai Lama’s approach.

“And when conditions are ripe, they will seek to realise ‘complete Tibet independence’.

Meanwhile, Tibetans continued with a week-long meeting in Dharamshala, the northern Indian town that is home to their exiled government, to discuss how to handle relations with the Chinese government.

The meeting was called after the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, said his “middle way” had failed and asked fellow Tibetans how to proceed.

The Dalai Lama, who fled his homeland in 1959 after a failed uprising, has maintained for many years that he wants only a limited autonomy for Tibet but China has remained adamant he wants independence.

A growing number of young exiles now favour a call for independence.

China warned on Tuesday that any independence push had no chance of succeeding.

“Our position on Tibet is clear and resolute. Any attempt to separate Tibet from China is doomed to fail,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.

“The so-called Tibetan government-in-exile is not recognised by any government in the world,” Qin said.

China has ruled Tibet since 1951, a year after sending in troops to “liberate” the region.

Copyright © 2008 Agence France-Presse

Published in AFP/Google News