No change in India's Tibet policy

[Ulhas Joglekar <joglekarulhas@xxxxxxxx>]

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Friday, March 31, 2006

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No change in India's Tibet policy: Shyam Saran
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1663332,00050001.htm

Press Trust of India

Washington, March 31, 2006

India on Friday said there was no change in its Tibet policy, maintaining
that New Delhi has taken a consistent position that it was an autonomous
region of China.

During an interaction at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, Foreign
Secretary Shyam Saran was asked if his recent visit to Dharmasala signalled
any change in policy of New Delhi vis-a-vis Tibet.

"I am not aware of any change of government of India's policy on Tibet. We
have taken a consistent position for a very long time that Tibet is an
autonomous region of the People"s Republic of China. But we respect (Tibetan
spiritual leader) the Dalai Lama as a very important religious figure and a
very highly respected figure," Saran said.

"There is a reality that the Dalai Lama is in India; there is a large
Tibetan community in India and for historical reasons the welfare of the
Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community is handled by the External Affairs
Ministry of the Government of India of which I am the civil service head.
"So my visit to the Dharmasala was essentially in that capacity," the
Foreign Secretary added.

© HT Media Ltd. 2006.