India's stand clear on Tibet: China

Press Trust of India
Sunday, March 23, 2008 (Beijing)
India has assured China that its position on the Tibet issue is ''clear and consistent'' and it would not change in the future, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Beijing.New Delhi also clarified that Vice President Hamid Ansari had no plans to meet the Dalai Lama, leader of the Tibetan government in exile in Dharamshala, following a ''rumour'' about such a meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.''The Indian side has clarified to China on relevant rumour, saying there's no such plan,'' Qin was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.He said New Delhi - which maintains that Tibet is an internal issue of China - has assured Beijing that its position on Tibet is ''clear and consistent'' and it would not change in the future.China is fighting the unrest in Tibet where riots erupted early this month during monks-led rotests against Beijing's rule, jolting the Communist leadership. The most vicious protests in two decades have led to 19 deaths in mob violence -- 18 civilians and a police officer.The meetings of some Western leaders with the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing accused of masterminding the recent Lhasa riots, earlier had angered China which had warned thecountries concerned that their action would undermine and damage the bilateral relations.On Friday, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi met the Dalai Lama and spoke out against China's ''oppression'' in Tibet, infuriating Beijing which asked others not to meddle in its internal affairs.India's position on Tibet has come in for praise from China, with Premier Wen Jiabao himself acknowledging that Beijing ''appreciates'' the stand taken by the Indian government to handle the Tibet ''independence'' activities.


India must not simply say the Tibetan issue is an internal matter of China. The basic issue is freedom of religion. India must actively support not just the Tibetan struggle, but also the Chinese struggle to practice Buddhism. A Hindu-Buddhist axis must be formed across the world to overthrow the undemocratic Chinese Communist government.