By IANS,
Dharamsala : The Tibetans in exile seem to have lost hope of finding an amicable solution with the present Chinese leadership over genuine autonomy for the people of Tibet within the framework of the Chinese constitution. But they said they would continue the dialogue process.
A statement of the Tibetan cabinet, the Kashag, here Wednesday to mark the 76th birthday of spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said: “We have made our stand clear (to the Chinese) through the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People and Note on the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People. Thus from our side there is nothing new to add.”
“However, it seems that the present leadership of the People’s Republic of China has no desire to give any meaningful consideration of our Memorandum and its Note,” it said.
But the cabinet expressed its desire to continue with its process to engage the Chinese in dialogue.
“But from our side, we have a firm determination to continue the dialogue process. Moreover, we have already formulated a clear stand and a firm base to carry forward the dialogue in accordance with any future change that may take place in the People’s Republic of China,” the statement added.
The two sides have held nine rounds of talks since 2002 to resolve the Tibetan issue. But no major breakthrough has been achieved so far.
The last talks were held in Beijing in January 2010 in which the Tibetan government-in-exile had submitted an “explanatory” note to the Chinese leadership to clarify its stand on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people.
China, however, said the two sides had “sharply divided views as usual”.
In November 2008, the discussion between the two sides collapsed after China’s rejection of the Tibetan demands for autonomy.
The Dalai Lama, 76, has been following a “middle-path” policy that seeks greater autonomy for Tibetans rather than complete independence.
However, the Chinese view him as a hostile person bent on splitting Tibet from China.
The Dalai Lama along with many of his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge in India when Chinese troops moved in and took control of Lhasa in 1959.
He then headed a Tibetan government-in-exile which never won recognition from any country.
India is home to around 100,000 Tibetans.