Strasbourg, 24/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine welcomed the Dalai-Lama in a "spirit of universal brotherhood" during a solemn plenary session devoted to the spiritual leader of Buddhism. "In 1959, at the time of the invasion of Tibet which was to rob you of your freedom, you were obliged at a tender age to make the heart-rending decision to flee from Lhasa, not with any intention of abandoning your people, but because exile was the only means left open to you of defending them around the world", said Ms Fontaine. She went on to say: "Like Mahatma Gandhi, like Nelson Mandela, like Andrei Sakharov, you have provided a shining example of how the peaceful pursuit of a noble cause can ensure that it is listened to and respected, and that it may in some cases triumph".
Deploring the conflicts that have arisen in the name of religion, the incentive to hate and to religious fanaticism, the Dalai-Lama, who spoke in Tibetan, appealed at length for "inter-religious harmony" and "understanding". He stressed that "all the major world religions help to transform individuals to become good human beings". "Dialogue is the only sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interests", he said. On the subject of the Chinese occupation and oppression of Tibet and the "immense destruction and human suffering inflicted on the people of Tibet", he recalled his proposal known as the "Middle Way Approach", which aims to guarantee "a true self-governing, genuinely autonomous Tibet, with Tibetans fully responsible for their own domestic affairs", while China would continue to be responsible for the conduct of foreign and defence affairs. The Dalai-Lama reproached China for refusing all dialogue with either himself or his representatives, and he launched an appeal for greater, concerted international effort. "I believe that no matter how big and powerful China may be she is still part of the world", said the Dalai-Lama, who went on to say: "The global trend today is towards more openness, freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. Sooner or later China will have to follow the world trend and in the long run there is no way that China can escape from truth, justice and freedom". He then hoped the EP resolution calling for the designation of a special EU representative for Tibet would be implemented.
While praising his good knowledge of Parliament resolutions, Nicole Fontaine replied that the EP is ready to support necessary dialogue with China so that Tibet will recover its freedom in the spirit of the proposals made by the Dalai-Lama. "You can count on our active support", she assured.
The head of China's mission with the EU, Song Mingjiang, had written to Ms Fontaine requesting her to cancel the Dalai-Lama's visit. The letter said that everything the Dalai-Lama has done throughout the world "clearly shows that religion is only a cover for him and that he is seeking political objectives". "He pays lip service to the fact that he is not calling for Tibet's independence, but the truth of the matter is that he has never given up his activities aimed at dividing China", continued the ambassador, who felt that, by allowing him to take the floor, the Parliament encourages the Dalai-Lama to "go further still along the wrong road". He added: "This not only goes against the will of the Chinese people, including the Tibetan population, but is also detrimental to China-EU relations which are developing in good conditions".
The Dalai-Lama then answered press questions on the impact that the attacks of 11 September will have on Tibet. Speaking in English in response to questions on Beijing's participation in the alliance with the United States to combat terrorism, he said he considered that China must not be isolated. This is a "very immediate, urgent sorrow", he recognised, while noting that the question of Tibet is not only a "local" matter but that it is linked to "bigger issues" (for example, it is raised "automatically" when it is a question of "genuine friendship" that should be reached between China and India). On 12 September, he said, he had written to President Bush, after the monstrous act against the United States, recalling that, in his opinion, dialogue is the most appropriate method in the long term. Should one also dialogue with terrorists? To this question, the Dalai-Lama replied that one must talk to "sympathisers: talk, argue and try to persuade them", as they are all part of "humankind".