Premier Wen Jiabao said on Friday that the door of consultation and dialogue on the personal future of the Dalai Lama is always open if he truly gives up his pursuit of "Tibet independence."

Wen made the remarks at a press conference held following the conclusion of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature.

The premier said that China's policy toward the Dalai Lama has been very clear-cut and consistent, that is, "as long as he recognizes Tibet is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and as long as he gives up his attempts to split the country, we are willing to carry out consultations and dialogue on his personal future."

"The door (of dialogue) is always open," the premier said in response to a question from a German reporter.

From all that the Dalai Lama has said, however, it is very easy to see that whether he genuinely hopes for the national unity or he is trying to sabotage the national unity, Wen said.

When the Tibet Autonomous Region was being organized and prepared in 1956, the Dalai Lama was actually chairman of the preparatory committee, Wen recalled. "But now he established a so- called exile government abroad and advocates the so-called high degree of autonomy for Tibet."

In his request, the Dalai Lama actually asks all the Chinese troops to withdraw from Tibet, and he even asks all Han people and people from other ethnic groups, rather than Tibetans, to leave Tibet as well, Wen said.

"We need to observe what he says, and more importantly, we also need to watch what he does. I hope the Dalai Lama will be able to make contributions and do more things that are conducive to national unity and the development of Tibet," Wen said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2007)