(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-08 14:30

NEW DELHI -- The Tibet issue is China's internal affair and should not be made an international issue, said Mohan Guruswamy, founder and chairman of the Center for Policy Alternatives in New Delhi.

"Tibet is part of China. It is natural and reasonable for (the) Dalai (Lama) to find a solution for Tibet within China's structure," Guruswamy said in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua.

"Dalai should go to Beijing to talk, in stead of going to Washington and holding talks with (US House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi," Guruswamy said.

With many years of experience in the private sector, academy and governance, Guruswamy founded the Center for Policy Alternatives in New Delhi in 2003. Shortly after that, he made his first trip to Tibet.

"During my visit to Tibet four years ago, I saw a lot of schools, temples and libraries. The Chinese government has created a lot of jobs and businesses are booming in Tibet. That is exactly the duty of a government. China has fulfilled its responsibility in Tibet," Guruswamy said.

As for media coverage on the Lhasa riots, Guruswamy said Western media did take a firm stand against China.

He believed that many Western media were deeply influenced by their leaders who are hostile toward China.

According to Guruswamy, China has become "Western countries' enemy" for many reasons, mainly because of their jealousy about China's economic development, and fears of China's rise.

"They are so afraid of being taken over," said Guruswamy.

He forecast that in the near future India would have to face the same criticism from the West.

"At this critical moment of history, China and India should trust each other, treat each other as true friends, instead of being suspicious to each other."

He insisted that the Indian policy toward Dalai has been different from that in 1959. Today Dalai and its follower were treated just as guests in India. "India will not fight for visiting guests. Between the dragon and the elephant, Dalai is too small."