Spiritual encounter

The Dalai Lama has been exiled since 1959

by BBC Wales's European Correspondent Iolo ap Dafydd

Three hours before he was to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg, BBC Cymru Wales were granted a private interview with his Holiness the Dalai Lama.

At 0900 prompt, we were shown to his Hilton Hotel room in Strasbourg , and while the France Telecom engineer fiddled with an ISDN connection on the floor, the door of the Europa suite opened and a red-swathed monk smiled behind his glasses at us, before peering curiously at the Frenchman by his feet.

So began my first meeting with the spiritual leader of the world's Buddhists.

October 24 will always remain in my mind as the day I interviewed the Dalai Lama - or 'Big L' according to the Radio Wales running order

The ISDN connection was for a live radio interview on Good Morning Wales, and while I nervously tapped my fingers and spoke tersely with the programme's producer, his Holiness tapped my hand and smiled his famous smile, as he waited for my first question.

As expected when asked about the need to highlight Tibet's plight, and Chinese human rights violations he said how important it was to speak directly with a parliament which represented almost 400 million Europeans.

He was keen for Europe to show genuine interest and moral support for a nation which has seen their leader exiled in India since 1959.

He may have been awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace prize, but the Chinese distrust of him led one of Tibet's current leaders to denounce him as a "..faithful tool of international anti-China forces¿."

Afghanistan campaign

He himself reiterated Tibet's claim is not for independence but for "self-governance" but he said "after 50 years they (the Chinese) find it hard to face reality - it's difficult - almost reluctant to talk¿" and that Chinese authorities had a "fear" of achieving stability and unity in Tibet.

His Holiness was not prepared though to condemn the current American and British bombing campaign in Afghanistan.

He believed that "war in the 20th century was more brutal¿" and that it was the "century of violence". But, he added, he was far more "optimistic about the future."

When pressed about the bombardment of bombs and food parcels being a sign of maturity, he seemed to misunderstand.

He agreed that attacking specific targets and then "dropping food in the interior for starving people especially children" was good.

Kinnock's concern over food parcels

Later in his address at the European Parliament, and the following press conference, he reiterated his support for the humanitarian efforts of the West, much as some MEPs - Glenys Kinnock among them - who believed the food drops to be inadequate.

She felt it was high time for trucks organised by many humanitarian groups concerned with the plight of millions of starving Afghans should be allowed to enter Afghanistan.

"The food parcels consisting of strawberry jam and tubes of American peanut butter was not what the Afghans needed," he said. In her opinion, they needed oil, wheat and flour.

A contingent of across party Euro members of parliament will travel to Pakistan next Tuesday to visit refugee camps, and meet officials in Islamabad and Peshawar.

Plaid Cymru's Jill Evans will be among them and is keen to steer clear of a politicising the trip, and concentrate on evaluating the human suffering instead.

But October 24 will for me, be the day I interviewed the Dalai Lama. Or Big L as the Radio Wales running order called my interview with him!