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Crucial talks between the Dalai Lama`s envoys and China ended abruptly on Sunday after the two sides met for the first time since the unrest erupted in Tibet in March, with Beijing demanding “credible moves” from the Tibetan leader to stop violence as a precondition for the next round of the meeting.

Chinese officials and the Dalai Lama`s “private representatives” agreed to hold another round of “contact and consultation at an appropriate time”, state run Xinhua news agency said after the meeting in the booming southern city of Shenzen.

It said during the meeting officials Zhu Weiqun and Sitar told the Dalai Lama`s envoys that the riots in Lhasa on March 12 had given rise to “new obstacles” for resuming contacts and consultations with the “Dalai side”.

“The Dalai side would take credible moves to stop activities aimed at splitting china, stop plotting and inciting violence and stop disrupting and sabotaging the Beijing Olympic games”, as told by the sources.

Zhu and Sitar had expressed the hope that to create conditions for the next round of contact and consultation.

Earlier it was scheduled that the talks between the Dalai Lama`s envoys Lody Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen and Chinese officials would continue for next two-three days but it ended after a few hours today and the representatives are expected to return to India by Thursday.

The Chinese officials said that the Lhasa riots which was “against the peoples will” had jeopardized the fundamental interests of all the Chinese people, including Tibetans and caused “great public indignation and strong condemnation” by people from various walks of live.

The Tibetan government-in-exile said yesterday that their “immediate concern” was for ending “repression” and lifting of all restrictions on Tibetans and they will raise it with the Chinese.

Chinese officials during the meeting defended the crackdown saying it was “completely correct” for the local government to take actions in accordance with the law to maintain social stability and to safeguard the country’s legal system and the “peoples essential interest”.

The officials also said that as the Lhasa riot had been put down, social order was being restored. Religious followers there were enjoying full freedom of religious belief, and the people were yearning for stability and development, they claimed.

Before the start of the talk, Chinese President Hu Jintao said, “I hope the contacts will yield a positive outcome,” but asked the Dalai Lama to abandon “violent agitation”.

“Our policy on the Dalai Lama is clear and consistent and the door of dialogue remains open. Judgment should be based on a person’s deed as well as his words,” said Hu referring to Dalai Lama.

The unrest in Tibet has upset the Communist leadership and posed the most serious challenge to the Chinese rule in the Himalayan region in the last two decades. Beijing`s crackdown to supress it ahead of the Olympics is well known. These factors brought global pressure on China to hold a dialogue with Dalai-side.

The Dalai Lama had recently given an indication of back channel efforts being made for a dialogue during a visit to the US.

He said his representatives were holding “private talks” with Beijing, describing it as “some efforts through private channels” but had insisted that there must be “serious talks” or otherwise holding it “just to show it to the world” would be “meaningless”.

China has repeatedly blamed Dalai for the violence in Lhasa and other Tibetan-populated areas while the exiled Tibetan leader has accused china of carrying out “cultural genocide” in Tibet from where he fled in 1959 to live in exile in India after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule. Around 20 lives has been claimed with many injured in the violence, as said by China.

Tags: China, Dalai, Dalai Lama, India, Lama, Lhasa

World’s 100 most influential people of 2008, listed by Time news magazine, includes three Indian names and those are of the UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, PepsiCo’s Indian American chief executive Indra Nooyi and MD of TATA group Ratan Tata.

The other name which is included in this list from India is of the spiritual leader Dalai Lama. Dalai Lama and Sonia Gandhi are listed in the leaders category.

Ratan Tata and Indra Nooyi are categorized under the list of Builders and Titans.

Sonia Gandhi is present in the list after her turning down the opportunity to become prime minister four years ago.

For Indra Nooyi, sharp strategic mind, tremendous market insight and humanitarian contributions made her to reach in the list.

Dalai Lama is there in the list for remaining ‘calm in the face of cruelty’ against his people by the Chinese.

Ratan Tata is praised for the manufacturing of the people’s car of Rs. 1,00,000 only.

The world’s most influential person in 2008, according to 1.8 million Time.com voters, is Shigeru Miyamoto, who designed Nintendo video game.

Tags: Dalai Lama, Indra Nooyi, Ratan Tata, Sonia Gandhi, Tata, Time news magazine, UPA

Dalai Lama, who is in US for a five-day conference on compassion, while delivered his speech to students on solving problems through dialogs got a huge protest from hundreds of demonstrators outside the college arena. However, inside the arena, the Dalai Lama received an honorary degree and spoke of the importance of employing dialogs and mutual respect to solve problems. The exiled Tibetan leader arrived on Thursday in US when thousands of people have flocked to Seattle to hear his speech but the city`s Chinese community had remained largely silent until yesterday.

Demonstrators held signs alleging media bias and protesting the violence from rioting by Tibetan monks.

Some echoed Beijing`s stand that the Dalai Lama is behind the recent uprising against five decades of Chinese rule. Signs called the Dalai Lama a liar and a “CIA-funded militant.” Many people waved large Chinese flags.

“I think that people are misinformed. They have media discrimination,” demonstrator Jiange Li said. “Tibet was freed - 50 years ago.”

Demonstrators shouted “We love Tibet,” “Stop lying” and “Dalai, your smiles charm, your actions harm.”

The China-born community is the largest Asian immigrant group in Seattle, according to US Census Bureau figures.

However, Seattle has historically been friendly to the Tibetan cause. The Dalai Lama has visited the city several times and has always been warmly welcomed.

Tags: China, Dalai Lama, India, Lama, Tibet

After a worldwide protest in Tibet, the spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Friday arrived first time on a 13-day trip to America. The 72-year old exiled spiritual leader reached in Seattle, the western coastal city of America. He will attend the five days long series of lectures there.

Close sources of him said that there are chances of attending meetings with American political leaders to discuss the issue of Tibet crisis.

The US House of Representatives and Senate passed resolutions on Wednesday condemning the Chinese crackdown in the Himalayan region, urging Beijing to begin talks with the Dalai Lama. The resolution has evoked a harsh and critical response from China.

The Dalai Lama is also scheduled to participate in the ‘Seeds of Compassion’ conference in Seattle. During his 13-day tour he will also visit Mishigun and New York.

Tags: China, Dalai Lama, Tibet, US

Karmapa Lama, the 22 year old potential successor to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama got his US visa granted for the first time. The Tibetan monk will travel abroad first time to US and his visit is likely to last for a fortnight.

The development comes after clearance of the 22-year-old Karmapa’s trip by New Delhi. It is believed that the permission for his visit was granted by the Indian government to travel to the US from May 15 to June 2.

Presently staying at the Gyuto Tantric Monastery in Dharamsala, he had been escaped to India from Tsurphu in Tibet in 2000.

The anger in Beijing is already raging because Tibetans across the world have turned the ongoing Olympic torch relay into a PR disaster for China, after first staging pro-independence protests in Tibet.

India’s move to clear the Tibetan monk’s visit has reportedly irked Beijing and it is likely to lodge a protest with New Delhi.

Recently Dalai Lama gave indications of his retirement saying that he would like to pass the spiritual torch to the next generation. Under these circumstances Kamapa is believed to succeed the 72- year old Dalai Lama.

The Karmapa Lama, whose name is Ugyen Trinley Dorje, is the only major reincarnated monk who has been recognized by the Dalai Lama as well as Beijing.

“There are now spiritual leaders who are young, energetic and well educated. They can assume the role of spiritual leadership as political role is played by a democratically elected government,” Dalai Lama had said.

Tags: China, Dalai Lama, India, Lama, US

The spiritual leader of Tibetans Dalai Lama on Saturday said that China itself could be behind the violent troubles going in Tibet capital Lhasa.

At a press conference in New Delhi he said,” we have heard about a few hundred Chinese soldiers received monks’ dress. They (soldiers) dressed like monks. So, for a lay person, they will look like monks. But the swords they had, were not Tibetan, they were Chinese swords.”

He expressed the need to work with the Chinese authorities to restore peace in Tibet. The Dalai Lama has been seeking dialogue to resolve Tibet issue. He said that no response from China on this issue suggests that China Government may be involved in the violence of Tibet.

He declared that the future of his ‘middle-path’ approach would depend on Beijing’s attitude in the next few weeks.

“We have no power to bring China to the dialogue table.We have only truth and sincerity. That is why we are appealing to the world community, please help,” the Tibetan leader said.

“My side is open for dialogue. We are waiting to hear from the Chinese side,” he said before heading back to Dharamshala, the seat of his “government-in-exile’.

Once again he repeated his words that he has “no desire to seek Tibet’s separation” nor “any wish to drive a wedge between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.”

He said that the attitude of Chinese Government will be important over next few weeks and that will decide the future of his ‘middle path approach’ to resolve this issue.

He also dismissed China’s concerns that Tibetans may cause trouble during the India-leg of the Olympic torch relay. He said that he was in favour of Beijing hosting the mega sporting event.

He said that his return to Tibet would be of no use without a certain degree of freedom.

Tags: China, Dalai, Dalai Lama, Delhi, India, Lhasa, Tibet

Hofstra University of New York announced to honor the Nobel Prize winner Dalai Lama with the first Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize of $50,000. The prize honored to those men and women who strive for interfaith dialogue.

Dalai Lama is selected from 75 individuals and groups nominated for the first prize, representing interfaith efforts in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, as well as throughout the United States and Canada.

The Dalai Lama has spoken across America on several occasions in recent years and could visit the Hofstra campus in the near future.

The Buddhist leader has shown his concern over ongoing violence in Tibet which is disturbing life of people in China and Tibet.

The biannual prize will be presented to the Dalai Lama in India on November 18 by a delegation including Hofstra officials, the family of Ishar Singh Bindra that established the prize at Hofstra, and former Prime Minister I K Gujral who is a member of the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize Honorary Committee.

Hofstra president Stuart Rabinowitz said while announcing the prize,”There are few missions as important for a university as the advancement of understanding among all peoples. Awarding this prize allows us to recognise those who bring together people of all faiths, which now, more than ever, is important for the peace and prosperity of our world”.

He also said the university wants to establish the nation’s ‘most significant’ department of religion. The Guru Nanak award is part of efforts to boost the prestige of the department, which was set up in 2005, he said.

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, a graduate of Hofstra and a member of the award’s selection committee said, “I think that shows, obviously, our choice was the right one because his (Dalai Lama’s) voice is still the strong voice for peace and for understanding and for dialogue.”

T J Bindra, son of Ishar Bindra, said, “There could be no more deserving candidate than his Holiness, and to me, what stands out most is that Guru Nanak stood for brotherhood, peace and wonderful relations between communities, and I think his Holiness personifies that the best”.

He added, “Efforts like this, small as they may be, help in promoting interfaith harmony and peace”.

The prize, announced in 2006, was established through an endowment from the Bindra family to be given by Hofstra University to individuals or organisations that have worked to create religious dialogue that is indispensable to reducing religious conflict.

Tags: Dalai Lama, Guru Nanak, Interfaith Award, Nobel Prize, Prize

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said that India’s “cautious” approach to the Tibet issue is “understandable”.

“I always looked out of (sic) India from a holistic view. Then there is some incidence, here and there, being a little overcautious doesn’t matter,” he told TV news channel NDTV in an interview.

“Important is, the last almost 50 years, since (India’s first prime minister) Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru laid out certain policies regarding the Tibetan refugee community. Now that’s still being carried, no matter what government, no matter what political party, Janata Party or Congress party.”

“Therefore, I think the government of India has done maximum activity where they can help. They have done a lot but in certain cases they are a little cautious. That is understandable,” he added.

But the Tibetan spiritual leader also admitted he wished the world could do more for Tibet. The Dalai Lama again told about his resignation if the violence by Tibetans continued. He said he have no choice after that. He insisted on the Olympic Games in Beijing later this year and said this was a good time to remind the Chinese of their human rights record.

“Right from the beginning there are some NGOs, some individuals who have expressed their concern. In order to be a good host to the Olympic Games, China must improve its record in the field of human rights and religious freedom,” he said.

“It’s very logical, very reasonable. So the world community, including we Tibetans, think the Chinese need to be reminded about their record on human rights, religious freedom and the Tibetan case,” he added.

Tags: China, Dalai Lama, India, Nehru, Tibet

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in the capital late Friday evening for his nine-day meditation workshop going to start from March 22. During the workshop the Dalai Lama will teach lessons on meditation and Buddhist philosophy.

Kalsang Yudon, secretary of the Dalai Lama said, “His holiness the Dalai Lama will be in the capital March 22-29 to give a teaching here on Buddhist philosophy. This has been planned since last year.”

Yudon told that the lessons will be held for four hours daily and will be attended by more than 150 people.

Hollywood star Richard Gere and actress Uma Thurman’s father Bob Thurman are expected to attend the program.

The Dalai Lama, who favours autonomy for Tibet, met US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in exile in Himachal Pradesh, earlier in the day. Pelosi extended her support for the Tibetan cause.

It is hereby needed to mention that the 73-year-old leader won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. This week he is threatened to resign as the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile if the Chinese crackdown on ethnic Tibetan protesters in Lhasa escalated.

He has been living in exile in India after he fled Tibet in 1959.

Tags: China, Dalai Lama, Dharamsala, Himachal, Tibet

Bush Administration asked China to hold talk with the Dalai Lama to resolve the issues and not for the independence of Tibet.

Deputy Spokesman of the US State Department Tom Casey said, “I think one thing that is clear is that the Dalai Lama is not talking about the independence for Tibet. He is calling for engagement with Chinese officials in dialogue. And we support that call. We very much want to see the Chinese speak with the Dalai Lama or his representatives to try and resolve many of these outstanding issues.”

A senior officer told, “He (Dalai Lama) is the spiritual leader for Tibet people. And we believe that he has an important role to play in being able to help resolve some of the tensions and problems there.”

Asking China to exercise restraint in dealing with protests in Tibet, the senior Bush administration official said, “We do not want any loss of innocent life.”

Tags: Bush, China, Dalai Lama, Tibet