New Delhi, Delhi, India
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in a video message to a Washington-based group said he was willing to remain within the People's Republic of China under a "union" similar to the spirit of the European Union.
"I always, you see, admire the spirit of the European Union," the Dalai Lama said in a video chat, adding,"Common interest is more important rather than one's own national interest. With that kind of concept, I am very much willing to remain within the People's Republic of China."
"The Chinese word, "gongheguo" (republic), shows some kind of union is there," he added.
China has often attacked nations who have tried to open relations with the Dalai Lama. The Communist country views Tibet as an integral part of China and has often branded the spiritual leader as a "splittist" monk.
"Among the Chinese hardliners, in their mind, it seems some kind of dilemma is there about their present policy - whether, you see, it can solve Tibetan problem or not," the Dalai Lama said.
The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and set up a government in exile in the foothills of Dharamsala, the Chinese troops had entered Tibet nine years earlier, ever since then the Communist regime has tried to marginalise the Dalai Lama from various international forum, and often taken digs against India.