NEW DELHI – After being ditched by New Delhi the Dalai Lama has said,Tibet can remain a part of China, if Beijing guarantees the region’sculture and autonomy.

Tibet could benefit economically by staying in China and Chinese citizenscould gain from Tibetan Buddhism, he said in a lecture to commemorate the60th anniversary of his exile to India. “Historically and culturally, Tibethas been independent. The region’s geography shows where Tibet begins.

So long as the constitution of China recognises our culture and Tibetanautonomous region’s special history, they can remain [part of China],” hesaid in the lecture organised by the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library andthe Antar-Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad.

The lecture is one of the events planned to celebrate the anniversary ofthe Dalai Lama’s arrival in India in the late 1950s. The celebrations beganearlier this month with a big event at Dharamsala. The Dalai Lama is likelyto tour India throughout the year.

However, the Dalai Lama underscored the importance of Tibetan identity andargued that Tibet had been an independent unit in the past, and thereforehad a special place in the world. The times had changed, he said, andeconomic cooperation was the more rational option.

“There was a time when every French looked at the Germans as enemies. Buttoday they are in the European Union. Similarly, we can work together,” hesaid.

His remarks are significant as he avoided mentioning Tibetan independenceand explained how cooperation and unity could usher in development andpeace.The statements are also expected to set the background for the talksbetween Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whowill have an informal summit on April 27 and 28, the first meeting sinceChina removed the term-limit for the post of President.