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Thu, Mar 20, 2008
Reuters
Dalai Lama says ready to meet Chinese leaders

DHARAMSALA, India, March 20 (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama said on Thursday that he was ready to talk to Chinese leaders once the violent protests in Tibet died down.

"I (am) always ready to meet our Chinese leaders, particularly Hu Jintao," the Dalai Lama told reporters, referring to the president of China.

He added he was ready to travel to Beijing.

The Dalai Lama has called on Tibetans to eschew violent means of protests and live side by side with the Chinese, but his "middle way" tactic has been questioned by other protesters who want independence from China.

China accuses the Tibetan spiritual leader of masterminding the protests in Tibet from Dharamsala, the seat of his government-in-exile in northern India.

The Dalai Lama has espoused greater autonomy rather than independence for Tibet and has also expressed his support for the Beijing Olympics.

But his conciliatory approach to China is not shared by many protesters, including an increasingly vocal younger generation, who say their leader's "middle way" had not been able to achieve much in the past 20 years.

"Many Tibetans may develop unrealistic expectations," the Dalai Lama said, without elaborating. "(For) that reason I may have to think very carefully."

"When time comes to go there I am ready," he said, adding that talks with the Chinese authorities could take place in "a few weeks or a few months" after the protests died down.


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