His Holiness the Dalai Lama calls for Restrained Approach

24 October, 2002

Graz, 22 October: His Holiness the Dalai Lama called for a restrained approach by Tibetans towards the Chinese authorities for the next few months while giving an audience to more than 800 Tibetans attending the Kalachakra Initiation for World Peace in Austria, this morning.

Referring to the visit to Tibet and China by Special Envoy Lodi G. Gyari and
Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen in September and the subsequent statement by Kalon Tripa
Samdhong Rinpoche concerning President Jiang Zemin´s present visit to the
United States of America and Mexico, His Holiness the Dalai Lama told the
Tibetans that when the Chinese authorities are showing a new willingness to
renew contact it would be good on the part of Tibetans to reciprocate with
restraint.

“But we cannot say how this contact will proceed. It is very difficult to say.However, it is better to have a contact than not having at all.  We can see how it develops in the following months”, His Holiness told the Tibetans.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama described the recent opening as an
opportunity.  His Holiness said: “During the next few months as Kalon
Tripa has appealed, we must recognise the positive signal the Chinese
Government made and accordingly the way we express and react becomes crucial.”

His Holiness said that the statement by Kalon Tripa was coming from the
democratically elected Tibetan leader, which deserved serious attention by all Tibetans. “During the next few months if they (the Chinese Government) continue to make more positive progress, that is mutually beneficial to both Tibetans and Chinese, then we need to continue with this positive path.  Otherwise,we have to act according to the situation.”  His Holiness stressed that it was important for the Tibetan struggle to show to the international community that we are flexible in order to achieve a mutually beneficial solution to the Tibetan Issue.