News: Gordon Brown Shuts the Door On the Dalai Lama and Tibet

Earlier this year, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown broke with the tradition of his predecessors and received the Dalai Lama-Tenzin Gyatso at Lamberth Palace (home of the Archbishop of Canterbury) — not 10 Downing Street. The decision was seen by many as a concession to Chinese influence and their ongoing campaign to marginalize the Dalai Lama as a political actor.

According to a recent New York Times op-ed piece by Robbie Barnett, the British government has essentially abandoned its historic recognition that "China's control over Tibet was limited to a condition once known as suzerainty, somewhat similar to administering a protectorate." Barnett argues that the catalyst for this change is financial and may have bearing on India's claims in the northeast territories that currently border China.

This all comes amidst a wave of pessimism, within the younger generations of Tibetan exiles, for the efficacy of the Dalai Lama's "middle way" approach. Edward Wong highlights this in a recent series of articles for the New York Times. Also worth noting is Pankaj Mishra's 2005 article on some of the Tibetans involved in the "new strategy."

Barnett Op-ed >>

British response (NYT Letter to the Editor) >>

Chinese reaction in Global News >>