Dalai Lama arrives in Dharamsala ahead of Tibetan special meet

Dharamsala, Nov 15 : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in Dharamsala, seat of Tibetan government-in-exile on Saturday ahead of special meet.

A meeting of Tibetan exiles is set to take place in Dharamsala beginning from November 17.

Dalai Lama, who was on week-long visit to Japan, will not participate in the six-day meeting.

The meeting, where Tibet's political unrest and its future are to be discussed between those seeking autonomy and independence, could become a turning point as different factions compete for influence over the exile movement.

"What he had to say he has already issued, that is a message to all the Tibetan people on Friday. Message is about the present situation and then he asked people to discuss for themselves, what should...do for future course of action," said Samdhong Rimpoche, Prime Minister, Tibetan government-in-exile.

Tibetan parliamentarians, government officials, Tibetan self-help groups and representatives of Tibetan from India and abroad are expected to take part in the meet.

The Dalai Lama, who had surgery to remove gallstones last month, wants a high level of autonomy for Tibet, while many exiled Tibetans who seek independence have expressed frustration with their leader's approach.

China brands the Nobel Peace Prize laureate a trouble-making separatist and blamed him for riots in Tibet in March, which it harshly repressed.

The crackdown refueled ethnic tensions and Beijing's policy towards the remote Himalayan area was a flashpoint for protest during the Olympic Games and the torch relay.

Zhu Weiqun, a vice minister of the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department, said on November 10 that envoys of the Dalai had pressed his long-standing demand for "genuine autonomy" for the mountain region during talks in Beijing last earlier this month.

Ahead of an agenda-setting meeting of exiled Tibetan activists, the Dalai's representatives gave their Chinese hosts a "Memorandum for all Tibetans to enjoy genuine autonomy". But Zhu's public response was unyielding.

ANI