New Zealand To China: Talk To Dalai Lama

April 8, 2008 6:55 a.m. EST

Wellington, NZ (AHN) - The New Zealand Prime Minister had reportedly urged Tuesday for the Chinese Prime Minister to begin talks with the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama. The statement was made in hopes of finding resolve between China and Tibet in light of the recent violent outbreaks and political chaos that ignited world anger.

During a statement Prime Minister Helen Clark reportedly brought up the issue to Minister Wen Jiabao, with her saying that she had expressed thoughts on the ongoing unrest in many countries, stemmed by China's violent crackdown of Tibetan monk protesters last March.

"We don't question the status of Tibet, but we have been deeply concerned at the violence and the riots," said Prime Minister Clark, according to Monsters and Critics. "We have wanted China to show restraint in the way it reacts, and we do think the time is very ripe for dialogue with the Dalai Lama."

According to Prime Minister Clark, however, the outlook seemed bleak regarding the prospect of China considering sitting down with the Dalai Lama, whom the Communist Party have accused for being the mastermind behind the riots.

"I'm not sure that the Chinese are taking the Dalai Lama at his word. They are blaming the violence on him," said Clark. "They believe he is undermining the Olympic Games, and they don't think he's clear enough about the independence issue."

World anger towards China's violent nature and alleged violations of human rights have spilled over to other issues, as activists from all over the world call for the boycott of the Olympics, taking place in Beijing this August.

U.S. News & World Report said that the current international Olympic torch relay has had disruptions from protesters, with one of the latest incidents forcing city officials of France, where the relay was passing through Monday, to extinguish the flame to try and evade rallyists.