Dalai Lama hopes; China holds high ground

(WFP) You can't fault the Dalai Lama for optimism. I suppose that might come from being [a bodhisattva] born-again, the most recent in a long list of reincarnations that makes him the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, an inspiration of piety and pacifism to people around the world, as well as a huge hit among Hollywood actors. Only Scientology, it seems, appeals to more of these keen intellects than Tibetan Buddhism.

Wherever his hopefulness comes from, it certainly does not come from being the temporal ruler of Tibet... Every time, however, the Dalai Lama raises the issue, and he does it frequently, Beijing hammers it -- kind of like diplomatic whack-a-mole. Nevertheless, this week two Tibetan monks arrived in Beijing, sent by their leader [the Dalai Lama] to see if the Chinese might agree to open talks. China received them, but also set the Dalai Lama up for the inevitable disappointment. More>>