Exchange of views with His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama, at the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), during the EP plenary session (12-15/09/2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), and Fabio Massimo CASTALDO (EFDD, IT).

Committee on Foreign Affairs

exchange of views

Strasbourg

CASTALDO, Fabio Massimo (Renew, IT)

VAN BAALEN, Johannes Cornelis (ALDE, NL)

DALAI LAMA

Tibetan question (T)

Exchange of views with His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama: extracts from the meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Arrival of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama in the meeting room (3 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, I am one of the admire of sprit of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, We do not want to separate from People's Republic of China. Whithin People's Republic of China, we can solve our problem, we are not seeking independence.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, The Tibetan issue is a just issue. Politically we are not seeking separation. So my nr one commitment is the promotion of sense of oneness of 7 billion human being.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, All religious institutions carry the same message: the message of love, compassion , forgiveness, tolerance, contentment, self-discipline, all religious institutions. So this is common ground, common practice. On that level we can build genuine harmony, based on mutual respect, mutual learning, mutual admiration.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, The commitment; preservation of Tibetan culture. Usually I describe it as culture if peace, non-violence, of compassion. I think that is really worthwhile.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), For all your life you have tried to speak to the Chinese, to find a way to peacefully solve the differences, not seeking independence, but cultural autonomy. Is there any, any opening unofficially or do you say no, the Chinese are totally closed?

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, I think basically, the People's Republic of China, same communist party, same constitution, in reality some change last 30-40 years there's no question. And then today I think, Buddhist population in China, now around 400 million, many Chinese Buddhist now begin to realise that Tibetan Buddhism is very, very authentic. Many of them are eager to learn from Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA,There is hope and it is important that the outside, particularly like the EU, I  think with sincere motivation to in order to help People's Republic of Chine with some sort of constructive criticism, is sometimes necessary, helpful.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, Buddhist terrorist, Muslim terrorist. That wording is wrong. Any person who wants to engage in violence is no longer a genuine Buddhist or Muslim. Because it is a Muslim teaching once you involve in bloodshed you are no longer a genuine practitioner of Islam.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Fabio Massimo CASTALDO (EFDD, IT), What do you think that we are not doing as Europeans to help the Tibetan cause? What could we do? How we could we coney your message with the hope of setting of setting up the Tibetan Intergroup in the EP, thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), His Holiness the XIVth DALAI LAMA, Visits from outside world and particularly the EU, EP, greatly helpful. At least Tibetan people's mind. It means something because of the engagement. So that is my request. And then the Tibetan support group this also is very essential, very important. I think those Chinese hard-liners they should think, The Tibetan issue, unless it is solved reasonably, the Tibet issue will not go away. That message signal is very important. OK, Thank you.