29. Tibet's future depends on solution within China

New Delhi | October 27, 2005 (UNI)

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today said he had no regrets on his handling of the Tibet issue and its future now depended on a solution within China. "I am not saying independence provided China gives meaningful autonomy," the Dalai Lama said. Speaking on the topic "A Humane Approach to World Peace", at the annual convention of The leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., he said, "I took the right decisions, so no regrets." He said his role in Tibet has, for the past four years, changed from being a leader to being a senior advisor to Tibet's government-in-exile. The Nobel Peace Prize winner said the world today was interdependent and no country could work independently and cited this as a reason for not asking for Tibet's independence from China. The leader, who, at the age of 19, tried negotiating with Chinese leader Mao Zedong on Tibet's future, seemed resigned to accepting present-day realities when he said, "we Tibetans have lost our freedom and country." Calling himself still a learner at 70, he spoke on a variety of issues related to world peace. "Divisions in the name of religion, sometimes leading to bloodshed, are unfortunate," he said. The perception in many parts of the world that Muslims, as a whole, espoused militancy was wrong. "Those followers who cause bloodshed are not actual followers of Islam,'' he added. The Leading Hotels of the World represents more than 420 hotels, resorts and spas.