Palampur (HP), July 06: Taking a positive view of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's recent visit to China, the Tibetan government-in-exile has said the joint statement issued during the visit should be accepted as an effort towards peace in Asia which will also lead to peace in Tibet. "Normalisation of relations between two giants in Asia will have an impact on world peace and this will definitely affect Tibet," Samdhong Rinpoche, `Kalon Tripa' (prime minister) of the government-in-exile, said.
Addressing a gathering at the main temple here on the eve of the 68th birthday celebrations of Dalai Lama yesterday, Samdhong hoped that the improvement of relations between India and China will also lead to settlement of the Tibet issue.
Samdhong expressed gratitude to India for the humanitarian support given to Tibetan refugees during the last 40 years.
Speaking on the occasion, Pema Jugme, chairman of Tibetan assembly of deputies, said the path shown by their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was the only path through which the Tibet issue could be solved peacefully.
Despite heavy downpour in McLeodganj, hundreds of Tibetans including senior ministers and officials of Tibetan government-in-exile, foreign tourists and local people gathered at the main temple premises to participate in the celebrations and prayers for the long life of the Dalai Lama.
Though his holiness the Dalai Lama was here, he did not participate in the celebrations and held puja at his residence where senior ministers, officials and other dignitaries felicitated him on his birthday. Bureau Report