Inside China Today - 11/11/98
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 1998 -- (Reuters) The Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, said on Tuesday he had postponed
making a formal public response to a Chinese initiative that could lead to dialogue on the Himalayan territory's future.
The Buddhist leader, who saw President Bill Clinton at the White House on Tuesday in defiance of Chinese wishes, told reporters
that to avoid misunderstandings, he first had to consult the Chinese government through informal channels.
"Up to now the consultations have not materialized, so therefore I am not ready to make a public response. It depends on my
consultation, because I want, after my formal response, no more accusations," he said.
"He [Clinton] explained...his meeting with [President] Jiang Zemin and his efforts," the Dalai Lama added, declining to offer details.
"Sometimes more open discussion is useful; sometimes more silence is useful. So I feel it is better to remain low key."
The Dalai Lama had been thinking of using his trip to the United States to answer an invitation to dialogue extended by President
Jiang Zemin during Clinton's trip to China in June. (Pictured in archive photo, U.S. President Bill Clinton (right) and President Jiang
(left) meet in Beijing during the 1998 Sino-U.S. summit.)
Jiang set two conditions: that the Dalai Lama recognizes Tibet as an inalienable part of China and Taiwan as a Chinese province.
The Dalai Lama long ago renounced Tibetan independence as a goal but has never taken a position on Taiwan.
He reiterated his stand on Tibet in a statement after meeting with Clinton on Tuesday. "I am not seeking independence for Tibet, nor
do my actions seek its separation from the People's Republic of China," he said.
"I am for autonomy, genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people, to preserve their distinct identity and way of life," he said.
But the Chinese government has kept up attacks on the Buddhist leader, calling him an insincere propagandist and accusing him of
avoiding the proper channels of communication.
"The Dalai Lama has for a long time engaged in activities to split the motherland and preached independence for Tibet," Foreign
Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao told a news briefing on Tuesday. "To this day, he has not repented," Zhu said.
"We ask U.S. leaders not to meet the Dalai Lama, to avoid harming China-U.S. relations," he added.
Separately, the state-run People's Daily accused the Dalai Lama of "playing tricks" during his nine-day U.S. visit.
The Buddhist leader, referring obliquely to the attacks on him, said he wanted to be cautious because the Chinese sometimes
turned small incidents into "grand accusations."
"This is not good for building trust. I am trying to build mutual trust because once we develop some trust, then we can discuss
some serious matters," he said.
Sources close to the Tibetan government said the Dalai Lama (pictured) might have expected the White House to throw some light
on exactly what the Chinese wanted from him.
But U.S. officials, apparently anxious not to upset Beijing, denied they were playing any mediating role. Clinton did not schedule a
meeting with the Dalai Lama but instead "dropped by" a meeting he had with first lady Hillary Clinton, spending about 30 minutes
there.
Similarly, at the State Department, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright "dropped by" a meeting between the Dalai Lama and
assistant secretaries of state.
A White House statement reiterated Clinton's desire to see China open discussions with the Dalai Lama.
"The president expressed his strong support for efforts to foster a dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama
and his representatives to resolve differences," the White House said.
State Department spokesman James Rubin noted: "We do not know what the Dalai Lama may have communicated to the Chinese
government... We've urged dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese authorities. The modalities and substance of any such
dialogue are strictly for the Dalai Lama and the People's Republic of China to decide themselves."
The Dalai Lama said his contacts were through Chinese businessmen and groups like the Atlanta-based Carter Center. "All these
channels want to keep a low profile," he said.
He gave no indication when he expected clarifications from Beijing. "In the last few weeks we have had a rather confusing signal
(from the Chinese)," he added.
He said the situation on the ground in Tibet remained "very bad" and Tibetan Buddhist learning was in danger of dying out because
of Chinese influence.
It was in Beijing's best interests to take his proposals seriously because they could achieve the Chinese government's main goals,
stability and unity, he added.
Chinese troops marched into Tibet in 1950, and the Dalai Lama fled to India nine years later after an abortive uprising against
communist rule.
China's critics accuse Beijing of engaging in a systematic attempt to crush Tibetan Buddhist culture and flood the region with ethnic
Chinese settlers.
Beijing rejects the criticism, arguing that five decades of communist rule freed 1 million Tibetan serfs, boosted the economy and
raised the living standards of Tibetans. ( (c) 1998 Reuters) |
