A senior official of the Tibet Autonomous Region said Thursday that facts have shown that the Dalai Lama clique has never stopped its attempt to split the motherland.

Basang, vice-secretary of the Tibet Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), called on people to have a clear understanding of the history and complexity of the struggle against the Dalai Lama.

Basang, who is also the director of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee for Receiving Returned Tibetans, made the remark at the closing ceremony of the 2nd plenary meeting of the committee.

Basang said that the battle against the Dalai Lama clique is not just a simple question whether one believes in religion or not, nor a matter concerning self-government or not, but an issue which relates to safeguarding the unity of the motherland.

Basang said that the central government of China has made itself clear and has never changed its policy towards the Dalai Lama, that is: the Dalai Lama should abandon his stance of "Tibet's independence", end attempts to separate the motherland and make an open announcement acknowledging that Tibet is an inalienable part of China, admit that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China and that the government of People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government of China.

On the issue of negotiation, Basang said that Dalai Lama should be sincere, or there will be no basis for dialogue if the Dalai cheats the central government and the people by using negotiations to cover up his ulterior motives.

According to the meeting, last year, Tibet received 388 returned Tibetan compatriots from a dozen countries and regions including India, Nepal, the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.

(China Central Television 02/16/2001)