China says Dalai Lama’s visit can be discussed

China has said that it could discuss a possible visit by the Dalai Lama and that the visit was not impossible for consideration. The official China Daily reports on April 3, 2006 that a senior Chinese official on religious affairs, Ye Xiaowen (director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs), made the statement on the sidelines of a seminar held in Beijing.

China Daily, however, reports Ye as saying this is conditional to the Dalai Lama completely dropping “his pursuit of Tibetan “independence.””

Following is the full text of the reference to the Dalai Lama’s visit, published in a report titled, “Beijing, Vatican in talks for restoring ties.” The report was attributed to Xing Zhigang of the China Daily.

“Also yesterday, Ye said Beijing may consider approving the Dalai Lama’s visit to China if he completely drops his pursuit of Tibetan “independence.”

“As long as the Dalai Lama makes clear that he has completely abandoned Tibetan ‘independence,’ it is not impossible for us to consider his visit,”he said. “We can discuss it.”

The official expressed his suspicion of the Dalai Lama’s earlier remarks that he is not fighting for “independence” of Tibet, saying the Dalai Lama “has failed to deliver a clear message on his stance.”

The Dalai Lama, 70, said last month he wished to return on a pilgrimage and that his envoys had conveyed his request to Beijing in February.”