Tibet also needs China's help for economic growth: Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Monday said that since countries cannot survive in isolation in this era of interdependence, Tibet too needs China's help to develop economically.

"As for Tibet, we have a huge land and a rich culture but we need China's help to develop economically," he told reporters in Osaka in Japan.

"I really admire the concept of federation, such as the European Union, where countries are foregoing their sovereign rights to join the union," the Dalai Lama said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader, who was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for Tibet's autonomy, believes in the "middle path" policy that demands "greater autonomy" for the people of Tibet under the Chinese constitution.

"The Tibetans should be realistic and preserve their rich cultural traditions through genuine autonomy," he said.

--IANS

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